Time Warp
by Kittenn1011
Summary: Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- "People shouldn't meddle with time, Potter." Little did they know...
1. Prologue

It was completely black for a couple moments, and then he began to notice specks of light, not unlike stars. The lights twinkled, like Dumbledore's eyes used to (you know, before his death), and they seemed to be getting brighter, closer.

He felt like he was flying, and after a second he realized it felt like he was floating, but he was moving, forward, at a fast pace. It was a strange feeling, as if he was staying in one place and moving at the exact same time. The feeling could have been compared to being on a roller coaster, but he'd never been on one.

The lights were growing larger, quickly.

It was almost like an out of body experience, he decided. As if he was a ghost floating through space. Hn, that'd be an idea, sending a ghost into space.

The light in the center began to grow larger, and soon covered the entire blackness so that it wasn't blackness anymore, and it grew brighter and brighter until it went out.

The entire experience had been completely silent, but now he could hear a loud rapping sound, almost like when a Prophet owl wanted in your window to deliver your paper, but more like an impatient person with hard knuckled hastily banging against a wooden door.

The rapping noise got louder and louder, and then it stopped too, leaving only silent blackness once more.

* * *

**Time Warp**

_

* * *

_

"Boy! Get up! Now!" He opened his eyes to his Aunt's voice, pondering if he'd finally cracked. He hadn't seen Petunia since he was seventeen, three years ago. And she'd long since stopped knocking on his door so ignorantly during the summer holidays. Moreover, he lived in Diagon Ally, one of the last places he'd ever think to find his Aunt Petunia.

He opened his eyes groggily as he heard more rapping against the door and looked to the ceiling. It was quite low, and—

He was in the cupboard under the stairs!

"Hm," he mused impartially. "What a strange dream." Though he'd taken a dreamless-sleep potion before bed, he wrote it off as a faulty brew. He'd probably be feeling _that _when he woke up.

Deciding to humour the pathetic dream, Harry Potter stood up and began his day doing the cooking, cleaning, and gardening for the Dursleys in his eleven-year-old body. It was just like any other day at the Dursley house had been, boring and uneventful, labouring and uncared for. He managed to figure out the date his dream was taking place in, and it was his tenth birthday. Ironic, because he went to bed on the eve of his twentieth, only to find himself dreaming of this.

And when he went to bed in his cupboard confident that when he woke up in the morning, he'd be waking up to Ginny.


	2. Warp 1, Year 1, Part 1

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE**: **When there is a time skip it can be assumed that during that time something equivalent to canon is happening without major changes. **As Harry doesn't want to compromise his future knowledge, he will be attempting to keep as much things the same while keeping as many deaths from not happening. **This is the first story of a series, so don't worry, after the first warp I promise it will be more detailed, stray more from canon, and be funnier. **

* * *

**Time Warp**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, nobody is going to die! (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

**

* * *

**

**Book 1, Chapter 3: Letters from No One; Chapter 4: The Keeper of Keys **

**Warp 1, Year 1 (part 1), Chapter 1: Letters from Hogwarts**

* * *

It was when he had a conversation with a snake at the zoo that Harry decided that he really was a wizard, and the _'first time'_ (as he'd taken to calling it) was more than just a random, realistic dream.

One familiar morning, Harry woke to find himself entering the foul-smelling kitchen where his Stonewall uniform was soaking in dye. He didn't dare ask his Aunt what it was, knowing that this was the morning that he'd be sent to get the mail and receive his Hogwarts letter, so it was best not to annoy his Aunt any more that he would just by breathing the same air as she was.

Though remembering what the pieces of clothes looked like after they were dyed, he was glad he didn't ever have to actually wear them.

Vernon and Dudley entered and began breakfast and Harry began to contemplate what he would do with his letter; he knew what was in it, so he might as well get on the good side of his Aunt and Uncle and pretend not to even notice it, or care after he did, and Hagrid would come to get him when he didn't receive his letters, after all.

He was so absorbed in his thoughts that this time he didn't notice the click of the letterbox and flop of letters.

"Get the post, Harry."

Harry sighed, but wordlessly stood up and left the room. He picked up the three letters. Marge's postcard, a bill, and a parchment envelope clearly addressed to Harry. It was in emerald-green ink, a colour which only Snape used, and that made Harry wonder who did write the Hogwarts letters that year. He turned the letter over with glee to see the familiar Hogwarts crest.

"Hurry up, boy!" his Uncle called, breaking the trance, "What are you doing, checking for letter-bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke, and Harry resisted the urge to tell him that yes, he was checking for letter-bombs, and yes, it seems there was a bomb in one of the letters, what should he do with it?

Harry slipped his Hogwarts letter behind the two other pieces of post as he walked towards the kitchen and pretended that he didn't know it was there. He handed the letters to Vernon and sat back down in his seat.

First, he opened the bill and snorted in disgust, and then he flipped the postcard. "Marge's ill," he informed Petunia, "Ate a funny whelk and—" Harry was only guessing, but he had a feeling that his Uncle spotted the letter for him. His face turned from red to green to white in a matter of seconds. "P-P-Petunia."

Dudley looked up at this, and grabbed at the letter, but Vernon held it out of his reach. From there, Petunia took it and curiously read the first line. She started to pale too, and seemed as though she might faint, and then she began to make weird chocking noises. Harry found it slightly amusing. "Vernon! Oh my goodness— Vernon!"

And they stared at each other, unaware that Harry and Dudley were still in the room. Dudley, not used to being ignored, hit his father with his Smeltings stick. "I want to read that letter!" Harry, remembering that the _first time_ he'd protested also, knowing that it did more harm then good; stayed silent.

Of course, Dudley's protests only got louder, and broke the two out of their little world and Vernon croaked, "Get out, both of you," and stuffed the letter and envelope into his pocket. Harry stood up and left the room, striding off casually to his cupboard to begin planning.

"Let me see it!" he heard Dudley demand angrily and tuned it out.

* * *

During dinner that night his Uncle did exactly what Harry was waiting for, he gave him Dudley's second bedroom. "Harry," he had said passively, as if attempting to make it look like he wasn't saying it because of the letter. Of course, Harry wasn't stupid. When his Uncle called him by his name, something was wrong. "We've been thinking, don't you feel that your cupboard is too small for you?"

"No sir, not at all. It's nice and cozy," Harry replied with a smile. He'd been using this kind of demeanour with the Dursleys a lot since he went back in time. It got better results than the tones he'd used the first time around.

"Well," Vernon stuttered, "we've been thinking that you've grown too big. We think it might be nice of you to move into Dudley's second bedroom."

Harry almost grinned, but hid it and continued with the act he began. "Are you sure that's not an inconvenience, Uncle Vernon. I'm quite comfortable in my cupboard."

Petunia jumped in, "We're sure."

"But I don't want to impose…" Harry trailed off, faking worry. Actually, he really did want to impose. He wanted _his _room back badly.

"No," Petunia continued to insist. "Why don't you go move your things now?"

Harry smiled, "Thank you Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon! And thanks for dinner." He'd thanked them for everything now, every meal, every sock (the only thing he got new besides underwear), every haircut, and every one of Dudley's old shirts. He even faked normalcy! It really did pay off. He was allowed more food at meals, and even got little favours occasionally. The 'new him' was exactly what his Aunt had wished him to be.

As he left the kitchen to get his meagre amount of possessions and carry them upstairs to Dudley's second bedroom. He heard Dudley's screams of protest from downstairs, "I don't _want_ him in there… I _need_ that room… make him get out…"

He stretched out comfortably on the bed. He had his room back. _His _room.

* * *

Dudley's eleven-year-old tantrums were extremely annoying, Harry decided. He liked the boy much better after the Dementor incident.

When the post arrived, Vernon ordered Dudley to do it. Dudley's tantrum just got worse as he refused to go get the mail. Harry rolled his eyes, and offered loudly to do it.

"No, Harry, don't worry about it," Vernon said with a fake smile. "Dudley can do it."

Harry smiled and stood up, "No, I insist," and he walked out of the kitchen to grab the mail. There was another one, this time in black ink. A grin managed to plaster his face. Slipping it to the bottom of the pile like the day before, Harry walked into the kitchen again and calmly handed the mail to his Uncle.

Vernon scrambled through the small pile, looking for the Hogwarts letter. "Go to your cupboard— I mean, your bedroom," he wheezed out, and Harry knew he'd found it. "Dudley— go— just go."

* * *

Harry woke up that morning to the sound of a hammer and nails. It seemed his Uncle decided to nail up the letter box.

"See," Vernon explained to Petunia and Harry when they brought him fruit cake, "if they can't deliver them they'll just give up."

"I'm not sure that'll work, Vernon."

"Yeah, Uncle Vernon, that's a bad way to drive off the mailman. Won't they just leave the letters on the step?" he chirped in, as he wasn't supposed to know what letters he was having an issue with at all. Petunia and Vernon gave him dry looks and Harry shrugged his shoulders. "What?"

* * *

It was Friday. Twelve letters this time. They were pushed through cracks around the house.

Harry sighed at this. "Pretty determined owls," he mumbled to himself, and when Vernon spent the day humming _Tiptoe through the Tulips, _Harry shuddered. That had to be the scariest song ever. Maybe he could use it against Voldemort this time?

* * *

On Saturday, twenty-four letters from Dumbledore managed their way into the house. Vernon's face had turned so red when he discovered them and Harry doubted that he'd ever regain his natural colour.

* * *

Sunday morning Harry served breakfast to a happy Vernon.

"No post on Sundays," he reminded them as he spread marmalade over his newspaper. "No damn letters today!"

Harry smiled as he passed Vernon toast to bring the newspaper to his attention. "Good thing too— it's bad for your health to raise your blood pressure that much on a regular basis," he said with a caring tone.

Something came whizzing out of the chimney and caught Vernon sharply on the back of his head. Next thing they knew, thirty or forty letters followed the first. The Dursleys ducked, and Harry dove to the ground and hid under the table. A couple letters fluttered under the table and the Dursleys didn't notice how close he was to them. Obviously, seeing as he'd shown no interest this time, they weren't worried about him reading one.

He covered his head to make it look like he didn't notice the letters were addressed to him.

"That does it," Vernon yelled angrily, "we're going away! Just pack some clothes! No arguments!" Harry looked up and nodded as they all hurried out of the room before it overflowed with letters. It took ten minutes to get out of the house, and Harry couldn't help but smile widely as soon as they couldn't see his face.

They drove. And they drove. "Gotta shake them off," Vernon would mumble whenever they took a sharp turn.

"Who?" but they didn't answer him.

* * *

"'Scuse me, but is one of you Mr H. Potter? Only I got about an 'undred of these at the front desk"

Harry blinked a couple times, (his acting surly improved), and spoke like he was having an epiphany, "Wait… those letter… were for me..?" Petunia nodded to him solemnly. Harry began to laugh. "Who'd want to talk to me that badly?"

The woman gave the four confused looks, but Vernon quickly told her, "I'll take them," and shooed her out.

* * *

It was almost his birthday. Dudley's watch was always perfect, after all. Three minutes to go. Was that really the sea, slapping hard against the rock? Or was it Hagrid landing? Two minutes, and he was sure that the crunching noise was Hagrid approaching the door.

One minute to go. He'd probably act almost just like before to stay on the Dursley's good side. Thirty seconds, he couldn't very well know more than he should… which was nothing… three… two… one…

BOOM!

And there was Hagrid.

BOOM! He knocked again.

"Where's the cannon?" Harry almost burst out laughing at this if he didn't want to stay on the best side of the Dursleys as he could.

Vernon came down with his rifle. "Who's there? I warn you— I'm armed!"

A pause— SMASH!

Hagrid accidentally knocked down the door.


	3. Warp 1, Year 1, Part 2

**

* * *

**

**Time Warp**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, nobody is going to die! (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE**: **When there is a time skip it can be assumed that during that time something equivalent to canon is happening without major changes. **As Harry doesn't want to compromise his future knowledge, he will be attempting to keep as much things the same while keeping as many deaths from not happening.

* * *

**Book 1, Chapter 5: Diagon Alley; Chapter 6: Journey from Platform Nine and Three Quarters; Chapter 7: The Sorting Hat**

**Warp 1, Year 1 (part 2), Chapter 2: Draco Malfoy**

* * *

Tap.

Tap. Tap.

If only for a moment, Harry thought he was back at home in Diagon Ally and that the Prophet owl was right outside the window, tapping. He sat up to pay for his paper and Hagrid's coat fell off him. He groaned. He'd hoped for a moment—

Tap.

Either way, there was a paper that needed paying for. "Hagrid," he said loudly, "there's an owl…" Harry pretended to be confused, but mentally searched his memories to figure out which one of his countless pockets Hagrid kept his money in.

"Pay him."

"With what?"

"Five knuts— look in the pockets."

Harry knew exactly which pocket Hagrid kept his money it, but he made it look like he'd scrambled around for a bit before pulling out some money. Three gallons, two sickles, and five knuts. "Which ones are the knuts?" Harry inquired innocently.

"The little bronze ones."

Harry quickly, maybe too quickly, handed the owl five kunts. It flew out the window.

Hagrid sat up and stretched, yawning loudly. "Best be off, Harry, lots ter do today. Gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff fer school." Harry nodded, not thinking to inquire about money knowing he had a whole pile of gold sitting under London.

He began to eat the cold sausages and a slice of birthday cake, Hagrid doing the same. When they finished Hagrid confirmed that Harry was ready to go, "Got everythin'? Come on, then," and they headed out in the Dursley's boat. Harry couldn't help but laugh at this, and Hagrid, realizing what cracked Harry up, began to laugh too. He couldn't believe he missed it the first time!

When they were finished, Hagrid confirmed that Harry wouldn't tattle for using magic to row, (it's not like he was expelled for a legitimate reason,) and they were off to see the wizard.

* * *

The Leaky Cauldron looked the same as it always did, dark, dreary, and homely, and Tom was just as welcoming as he was the _first time_. "The usual, Hagrid," Tom asked with his trademark tooth-less grin.

"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," he clamped his large hand on Harry's shoulder and Harry wished that that was something he would eventually outgrow; it wasn't.

"Good Lord, is this— can it be—?" The entire bar went completely silent. Harry knew that Tom had only ever given anybody such treatment once, and that was when they met the first time. Didn't anybody ever tell this man that you only can make a first impression _once_? "Bless my soul, Harry Potter… what an honour."

And speaking of first impressions, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Tom," he said with a friendly grin as the old barman hurried out to shake his hand.

"Just call me Tom, everybody does. Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back."

Harry's grin widened. "Then you just call me Harry."

The stillness and silence broke, and everybody mobbed him. They all wanted to shake his hand. Doris Crockford shook his hand about a million times, and he recognized the man that once bowed to him as Dedalus Diggle. Finally came Professor Quirrell.

"P-P-Potter," the Death Eater, (if he could even be called that,) stuttered, and Harry realized that he was so stupid to not have realized that it was fake all along. Well, in his defence, he was eleven years old. "C-Can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you."

"What do you teach, Professor?"

"D-Defence Against the D-D-Dark Arts. N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter? You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose. I've g-got to p-pick up a new book on vampires, m-myself."

Harry realized that Quirrell didn't mention it was his first time teaching DADA. "Professor, how long've you been teaching?"

"W-Well, this is my f-fist year teaching D-Defence Against the D-D-Dark Arts. I used to t-teach M-Muggle Studies."

Harry pretended to ponder on this for a minute before replying. "That sounds like a fascinating course, but there aren't any books on it on the list…" he trailed off.

Harry, trying to hurry things along, informed him that Muggle Studies was only available for Third Years and up. It took ten minutes for them to get out of the Leaky Cauldron. Harry couldn't wait until people stopped doing that to him; maybe Skeeter was a blessing after all.

* * *

"Might as well get yer uniform."

Harry nodded. He'd been looking forward to that part all day. His first impression with Malfoy. Of course, he couldn't stop Malfoy from being a git about it, but he could give a better first impression.

"Hullo," Malfoy said with a friendly look that Harry didn't remember from _last time_. "Hogwarts too?"

"Yes," Harry said with a smile in return. He didn't want to change things too much, but at least look like he knew something instead of nothing.

"My father's buying my books, and my mother is looking at wands. After I get that, we're going to look at racing brooms. It's terrible first years can't have their own. Have you got a broom?" Well, that was different. Malfoy's tone was completely off; he wasn't supposed to sound passive, he was supposed to sound obnoxious.

"No," Harry sighed, "I'm going to get one next year when I can bring it with me." Well, actually, he would do it when he made the team as a first year. It paid to be Dumbledore's favourite, after all, and he wouldn't go one year without Quidditch.

"Do you play? Quidditch, that is."

"Yeah, I'm a seeker." There was a look of shock at his answer from the blond ferret for a second, but then it was gone.

"So am I. I'll make the team next year." The statement sounded so sure that it was like if Harry was saying that he'll make it this year. It wasn't bragging, it wasn't musing; it just _was_. "Do you know what house you'll be in?"

"I dunno," Harry said, wondering what Malfoy would say. He didn't seem to be sticking to the script…

"I think I'll be in Slytherin, it's the best house there is. Ravenclaws are boring, Gryffindors can't use their brains, and if I was in Hufflepuff I'd probably leave. Wouldn't you?"

"Nahh," Harry laughed, "but I'd refuse to be caught dead in those colours. Red looks better on me; I think I'd nick some Gryffindor's robes. The Hufflepuffs look like they're covered in bees!"

Malfoy snorted, "Yeah, they do. I never thought of it that way." Harry noticed that Malfoy didn't comment on Hagrid when he noticed him, which was strange in itself. Malfoy loved pointing things like Hagrid out. "So," Malfoy continued, "where are your parents?"

Harry shrugged, "Dead."

"Dead?"

"Dead," Harry confirmed, and began to wonder what happened to change his and Malfoy's first encounter. "Since I was one."

"Oh, I'm sorry for bringing it up then."

Harry gaped. Something was definitely wrong with how Malfoy was acting. Malfoy never apologized. Ever. To anybody.

Madam Malkin spoke up, "That's you done, my dear," and Harry, confused and ready to leave this bizarre alternate reality (because really, what kind of place would the world be if Malfoy was _nice_? Maybe there was some things wrong with his future knowledge or something, because _his _Malfoy would never apologize!), hurriedly left the robe shop.

* * *

During his last month with the Dursley's all of Harry's previous hard work to befriend them the best he could was all but put to waste. Dudley was too scared to stay in the same room as Harry (even though Harry _did _manage to prevent the pig-tail). Petunia and Vernon didn't order him to do anything; in fact, they wouldn't speak to him if they could help it.

Harry, on the other hand, tried his best to please them. He remembered how lonely it was in his bedroom in the following years and would only go into his room after dinner.

Hedwig, who he was so happy to see after her tragic death when he was seventeen, would fly outside at night while Harry would study his potions textbook. He was going to try and get on Snape's good side this time and getting good at potions was a good first step.

"Uncle Vernon, can I ask a favour?" Harry asked his Uncle on the thirtieth of August while he cleared the table and began the dishes. His Uncle gave him a short nod which meant 'continue'. Harry cleared his throat and then said, "Well, the train to school," he didn't dare mention Hogwarts by name, "leaves from King's Cross station tomorrow at eleven. Do you think I could get a ride?"

Vernon grunted, and Harry remembered that this was his response last time. The grunt meant a 'yes' last time, so he assumed it was the same this time too. Hoping that his Uncle wouldn't ask about flying carpets, Harry began to hurry out of the room. Unfortunately, Vernon said, "Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?"

Harry shrugged from his place in the doorway, "They're illegal in Britain." Maybe it wasn't the best thing to say, but it was the only response that he could think of. Harry just walked out of the room, happy to be finally going home.

* * *

This time, Harry didn't wake up at five in the morning. He slept until six, double-checked his trunk, and made breakfast for the Dursleys as a thanks. The Dursleys ate their breakfast calmly and Harry cleaned up after. They were in the car and ready to go by seven.

The reached King's Cross at half past ten. His Uncle dropped Harry's trunk on a trolley and left. Harry sighed. "Hedwig, don't make a scene," he mumbled and began his wait for the Weasley family. He pushed his trolley around the general area of the platform, waiting for the group that was to direct him onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.

"—packed with muggles, of course—" Harry smiled. There they were, not a second late. He wondered, momentarily, what had gotten into Malfoy if everybody else in the wizarding world seemed to be saying the same things word-for-word. Maybe Harry's scar was showing or something like that? That would provoke a different reaction from Malfoy, though he wouldn't suspect that it would be any variation of _nice _like he seemed to act in the shop.

"Now, what's the platform number?" Harry almost fell over at this revelation. She's had to come to this platform every September first for _how _many years now?

He had to admit, seeing Ginny so small was rather strange. Not that she wasn't an adorable ten-year-old, but he almost couldn't believe that _this_ innocent little girl was going to grow up to be the Ginny he loved. "Nine and three quarters," the little Ginny reminded her mother. "Mum, can't I go…"

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first." Fifth year Percy separated himself from the rest of his family and headed towards the barrier. Harry didn't bother paying close attention, but he did want to get a look at Percy's face. The only Percy he could remember was the one who'd obsessed over the ministry in the Weasley family's time of need, and the one who was burdened with his brother's death.

"Fred, you next," Molly motioned to George.

Harry almost began to laugh at this. It took George's ear-loss for him to be able to notice the subtle differences between the two, and realized they'd been fooling everybody for years. "I'm not Fred, I'm George!" That he was. "Honestly woman, you call yourself our mother?" The two had switched around so much, he wasn't even sure that anybody could tell them apart. One day Fred was George, the next he was himself. Even the teachers probably made mistakes like Mrs. Weasley was.

"Excuse me," Harry spoke up after _Fred_ went through to the platform. "How do I get onto the platform?"

* * *

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out in the compartment. Harry nodded, slightly annoyed. He'd forgotten how everybody seemed to ask him that question after meeting him. "Oh— well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes. Have you really got—"

"Yes," Harry interrupted the boy, "I do have a lightning bolt scar on my forehead." He shoved his bangs up for a moment before dropping them back down.

"So that's where… You-Know-Who—"

"No," Harry interrupted again with a smile, "I don't know who. Who?"

"You-Know-Who!" Ron insisted, like it was Voldemort's _name _or something.

"No! I don't!"

"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!"

"What kind of stupid idea was it for that child's parents to call him that?" Harry joked, and Ron almost smiled. Harry decided that there was only one thing to do here. "Oh," Harry faked sudden realization, "you mean Lord Moldywarts? You don't want to say Voldy-pant's name?" Yes, he knew it was immature, but if Sirius wasn't around to make such jokes, it was Harry's responsibility to outwardly mock the Dark Lord.

Ron gasped. This only made Harry begin to roll around the floor laughing. "Lighten up," Harry managed to gasp out. "It's not like I'm gonna die by making fun of him. He's dead, right?"

Ron, who still did not see the humour in it, said, "Not by Dumbledore's reckoning," but his words fell upon deaf ears. Hmm, Harry considered the words, deaf ears, Death Ears. Yes, it did have its potential—

With that thought, it took Harry five minutes before he was able to pry himself from the ground.

"So," Harry inquired when he sat up, "are all your family wizards?"

"Er— yes, I think so. I think Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we don't talk about him much."

And silence. Harry couldn't believe he didn't catch this the first time. "Can he use magic?"

"No, he's a squib…" Ron trailed off, and Harry considered that he might've misjudged the Weasley family. On the other hand, he might just be looking too much into natural pureblood prejudices that none of the Weasleys notice they'd practiced. Either way, they stood out against Voldemort (at least, in the second war,) so they couldn't be all bad.

* * *

"—wand and Percy's old rat." Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out Pettigrew, and Harry almost leaped across the compartment in shock. He'd almost forgotten about Wormtail. How did he manage? Well, he didn't know. "His name is Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff— I mean, I got Scabbers instead."

Harry remembered how he'd cheered Ron up last time, and proceeded to tell him about life at the Dursley house, and that he didn't know about anything until Hagrid came and told him, and when he said Voldemort it was accompanied by the usual gasp and 'You said his name!', but Harry ignored it.

"Anything from the trolley dears?" Harry almost thought that she was slightly early, but realized his laughing fit had put them behind schedule five minutes. Harry considered for a moment, and decided that candy was what really set their friendship into stone. He bought some of everything with his pocket change (he'd taken a couple bags of gold for spending money when he snuck into Hogsmeade, so he was sure he'd have enough).

Harry tossed his friend a couple of pastries and began the bonding experience.

"Sorry, but have you seen a toad at all?" Neville Longbottom entered the compartment and asked. They shook their heads. "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

"It's okay," Harry comforted the other boy. "I'm sure he'll turn up. Why don't you take a break and have some candy?" Neville nodded sadly, and Harry tossed him a chocolate frog. "I'm Harry Potter, nice to meet you."

"Are you really?"

He really hated this part of being famous. At this point, to everybody who he would befriend he was just a name in a story. "Of course!" he flashed a smile that would make Lockhart proud.

"You know," Ron spoke up, "toads went out of fashion years ago."

Neville gave Ron a sharp look at Harry laughed. "Ignore him; he doesn't understand how cool it is to be retro!"

"I guess," Neville wasn't reassured. Harry pondered a joke to make for a second, and then smiled.

"He could be an illegal animagus who just doesn't want to be found by the person he allowed to take the penalty for his crimes," Harry said with a laugh. Neville's mouth curved into a smile, Ron let out a laugh, and Wormtail tensed up for a moment before deciding that it was just a random coincidence.

The compartment door slid open again, and this time it was Hermione. "Has anybody seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she paused, and saw Neville. "Oh, hi Neville. Have you found your toad?"

"No," Neville sighed.

Harry raised his eyebrows at the two of them. "Why haven't you asked an older student to summon him?" and after a pause, "Wait, why didn't any _offer_?" There was no answer, so Harry rolled his eyes and pulled his wand out of his back pocket. "No harm done though," he said. "Accio Trevor. I'm Harry Potter, by the way. What's your name?"

"Hermione Granger. Are you really?" a toad came zooming into the open compartment door and Harry caught him and tossed him to Neville. Neville smiled a thank you.

Harry rolled his eyes at her question. "No, I'm really Santa Clause in disguise," he responded sarcastically.

Hermione huffed and said, "There was no need to be rude, it's just a question. And you might be," the last part was directed at Ron.

"Ron Weasley."

"Anyways, Harry, I've read about you. You're in _Modern Magical History_ and_ The Rise and Fall of Dark Arts _and_ Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century._"

"Really," Harry said, sounding slightly interested. "What do they say?"

Hermione smiled, and Harry regretted his words instantly. "Well—"

* * *

Hermione stopped only when Malfoy entered. Why he was alone, Harry didn't know though. He was supposed to show up with Crabbe and Goyle.

"Are you really Harry Potter," he said immediately. Harry rolled his eyes (seriously, when would people stop asking that?).

"No, like I told Hermione here, I'm Santa Clause in disguise."

"Funny," he said, "I'm Draco Malfoy."

"Are you really?" Harry couldn't help it, and it hid Ron's snigger.

This time though, he could have seen Malfoy's lip twitch at his sarcasm, but Malfoy caught the snigger. "Think my name's funny, Weasley?" he turned to Harry. "Would you like to sit in my compartment? You don't have to associate with mudbloods," a look at Hermione, "squibs," a look at Neville, "or blood-traitors," a look at Ron. He held out his hand and Harry sighed, he didn't need to antagonize an eleven year old.

"Why don't you sit here," he said with his ongoing hatred leaking into his pleasant tone. "You don't need to associate with Stupid or Stupider, you know." He was referring to Crabbe and Goyle, and Malfoy seemed to catch it. "You'll soon learn that some families are better than others, Malfoy. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. We can help you there." He stole that part from Malfoy himself, and Malfoy paled. Without another word, he turned around and left.

* * *

"Potter, Harry."

He sat down on the stool, and the hat was placed on his head.

"_Oh,"_ the hat said. _"Another one, eh?"_

"_Another?"_ Harry wondered at the hat.

"_Yes, you might want to have a chat with one Draco Malfoy. Gryffindor? I think you'd do better in Slytherin."_

"_Haha,"_ Harry replied in a dry tone, but the hat only laughed back_. "I'd appreciate if you'd please just—"_

"GYFFINDOR!"


	4. Warp 1, Year 1, Part 3

Sorry about the two-day-delay on this chapter, but we had out Thanksgiving diner yesterday instead of today (It's Thanksgiving in Canada!) so I just managed to beta the chapter now. Have a happy Thanksgivin'!

EDIT: Yes, I just edited this chapter. In one place I wrote Madam Pomfrey instead of Hooch. Thanks to ~Zandris for pointing this out! :)

* * *

**Time Warp**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, nobody is going to die! (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE**: **When there is a time skip it can be assumed that during that time something equivalent to canon is happening without major changes. **As Harry doesn't want to compromise his future knowledge, he will be attempting to keep as much things the same while keeping as many deaths from not happening.

* * *

**Book 1, Chapter 8: The Potions Master; Chapter 9: The Midnight Duel; Chapter 10: Halloween**

**Warp 1, Year 1 (part 3), Chapter 3: Snape, Malfoy Again, and A Troll**

* * *

Harry was quite grateful for his years of experience and hours spent studying the Marauder's Map. While his fellow first years were all having issues remembering where anything was (seriously, they should have a standard-issue map for first years), Harry was able to focus on other things.

"Double Potions with Slytherins? Merlin, do they not want us to survive the first week? Or is it some sort of initiation?" Harry said loudly when he. Hermione scoffed at this, it couldn't be that bad, right?

"Ah, yes. Harry Potter, our new – _celebrity_." Harry didn't know if it was the house he was sorted in or the fact his last name was 'Potter', but one of those two things caused Snape to hate him before he even really met him. Or maybe, just maybe, it was Lily's eyes that caused Snape to hate him. Did he ever really look him right in the eye?

Harry listened to Snape's speech quietly, and wasn't surprised when Snape fired a random question at him. "Potter, what would I get if I added powdered asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?

Asphodel was a member of the lily family, Harry remembered reading, and wondered if the reference to his mother's first name was on purpose. He didn't examine the questions much the first time, but decided that Snape was one to speak in codes. He noted the question in his brain and decided to look around for a deeper meaning; Snape usually didn't require his first years to have fifth year knowledge.

"Well," Harry paused, pretending to think it through, "I think that would be the Draught of the Living Death, sir."

Snape nodded, the corners of his lips nearly twitched, and turned away, and began to write on the board the name of the potion they would be making that day— a simple potion to cure boils— and Harry would be damned if he didn't get it perfect. He looked over the instructions in the textbook and began. He wished he'd had one of Snape's old potions books, but even without the Half-Blood Prince's instructions Harry managed a perfect potion. He even stopped Neville from screwing up his potion too badly!

And even better, Snape wasn't showing complete hatred for Harry.

* * *

Draco Malfoy, on the other hand, was showing his complete hatred for Harry.

At three-thirty in the afternoon on day the Slytherins and Gryffindors headed out into the grounds for their first flying lesson. Malfoy proved that he'd most likely go for the Remembrall again when he snatched it that morning, and Harry couldn't wait to join the Quidditch team.

"Stick your right hand over the broom and say 'Up'!" Harry raised his hand up to the sky, pretending to be nervous. Madam Hooch looked over to him and nodded, "What is it, Mr. Potter?"

"What if I'm left handed?" he asked innocently, and a couple people (including Malfoy) sniggered, obviously knowing that he wasn't left handed. Well, that or it was a stupid question.

Madam Hooch took it as a genuine question though, and replied, "Then you should still use your right hand, Mr. Potter."

Harry shrugged and reached hand over the broom, "Up," he said lazily. The broom shot up instantly, and Harry began to mumble about how it wasn't proper broom care to just leave them on the ground.

Malfoy took the cue, and did the same, also achieving a speedy response from his broom. Everybody else began at their display, thinking it was easy, but it took them all a couple tries to get it right.

Madam Hooch then proceeded to show them how to properly mount a broom and this time Malfoy wasn't doing it wrong. Harry tuned out her explanations of what to do and was fully planning on flying circles around everybody as soon as she blew her whistle; the Neville incident slipping his mind completely.

"Come back boy!" was the line that brought Harry back to his senses. He wondered why Madam Hooch hadn't cast a cushioning charm on poor Neville when he landed.

"Broken wrist. Come on boy, it's all right, up you get."

Harry had forgotten about how Neville was before Dumbledore's Army, he's forgotten how Neville was in the face of pain before and could only remember Neville's determined, busted, proud and happy face that he'd displayed prior to the Battle of Hogwarts as he said "It's nothing, Seamus is worse," and how he'd stood up to the Carrows to raise spirits when Harry wasn't there. This tear-stricken face for something as simple as a broken wrist when he'd faced the cruciatus curse.

No, Harry corrected himself, he hasn't yet— and he wouldn't if Harry could help it.

"—faster than you can say 'Quidditch'. Come on, dear."

"Did you see his face?" Malfoy said and burst into laughter, but it seemed more forced than Harry remembered it last time. The other Slytherins began to laugh too.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Parvati snapped to him, and Harry smiled; he knew there was a reason he liked that girl.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom? Never thought you'd like fat little cry babies, Parvati," Pansy said with a harsh laugh.

And then Malfoy did it, and Harry couldn't help but realize he was looking forward to that moment. "Look, it's that stupid thing that his grandma sent him this morning," he said and plucked the Remembrall off the grass.

Harry smiled devilishly, "Malfoy, do you really want one of those that badly? I'm sure your father could get you one." The Gryffindors laughed at this and Malfoy faltered. Harry's grin widened and he continued on, "Or are you just a compulsive klepto?"

"You know," Malfoy said after a long moment, choosing not to acknowledge the Gryffindors, "I think I'm going to go leave this somewhere for Longbottom to find. Maybe up a tree… or on the roof."

Malfoy mounted his broom again and quickly kicked off with speed Harry hadn't seen him manage until at least their third year. Maybe he could get Malfoy onto the Quidditch team too; he was the only seeker that ever gave Harry and challenge.

Harry, ignoring Hermione's protests, quickly followed suit. He flew higher and higher until he was at the same height as his Slytherin rival. "Why are we having such a huge fight?" Harry inquired carefully. "Why don't we just see who's the better flyer. You're a seeker, right?"

Malfoy thought it out for a moment before nodding. "I'll throw the Remembrall and then we see who can catch it before it hits the ground?"

"You got it!"

Malfoy began to gain altitude. He flew as high up as a cheap school broom could allow and then motioned for Harry to join him.

And he threw it as hard as he could. They both took off, their school brooms at their top speed, neck in neck to reach the Remembrall. Malfoy reached his arm out as they shot downwards, and Harry realized that if they strained their brooms any more they'd crash. Harry pulled out of his dive first, and Malfoy soon after, and they continued to race towards the descending magical mood-ring.

They were quite close to the ground, and the Remembrall was approaching the Whomping Willow. Harry drew his wand and quickly immobilized it as they entered its reach, giving Malfoy an advantage as they reached the ball. Malfoy's hand closing on the Remembrall as they both tumbled off their brooms and onto the grass, completely unscathed.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy!"

The two turned around to see McGonagall approaching with a disapproving look. Harry couldn't help but grin at Malfoy, and Malfoy grinned back— obviously aware of what was probably going to happen next.

* * *

"So, what do you say, Potter? A wizard duel— I assume you know how that works— Midnight, all right? Crabbe's my second."

Harry grinned, "Ron's mine (not that we need one), but if it's at midnight how can I be sure that you'll show?"

Malfoy gave him a wide, mocking grin, "You're right, we don't need seconds. Just you and me in the trophy room, no seconds, no witnesses."

Harry looked at Ron on his left, Neville on his right, and Hermione across from him. Hermione was giving a disapproving look, Ron obviously didn't want him to go alone, and Neville was just frightened to be within five feet of Malfoy. He considered for a moment, and then decided, "I accept."

Hermione turned he nose up, "I can't believe you," she muttered.

* * *

At eleven thirty, Harry crept out of bed, wishing he had his cloak. He slipped on his robes and tiptoed into the common room, only to be confronted with three angry faces. Hermione, wanting him to stop breaking rules; Ron, wanting to come; and Neville, who wanted Harry to stop risking his neck.

"It's okay guys," Harry laughed. "He probably won't show anyways, and I could avoid Filch and Mrs. Norris with my eyes closed."

More angry looks.

"Would it make you feel better if you came?"

Apparently not.

"Seriously, I'll stun you three...."

They still didn't move.

Harry sighed, this wasn't getting anywhere. "What do you guys want?"

No answer.

Harry just rolled his eyes, hoped they wouldn't give him the silent treatment in the morning, and left. His life would be so much easier after Christmas when Dumbledore gave him Death's Cloak.

They followed, and Harry pretended not to notice them as he made his way to the trophy room. Standing there, alone in the center of the large showroom, was Draco Malfoy.

"Yo," Harry greeted him with a smile, "I have some liabilities that I couldn't loose."

Malfoy yawned, "Well, I've got Crabbe and Goyle standing guard on one door for Filch, so I'm just as guilty as you are. They can stand watch on the other."

Harry turned back to the three and gave them a look, "That, my adversary, is the best idea you've had in your entire life. Guys, can you please just wait outside the door?"

Malfoy drew his wand as the three filed out of the room, and Harry did the same. "Any restrictions on spells?"

"Nothing above fourth-year level," Malfoy said casually, taking a couple steps towards Harry, "and no Unforgivables or that awful curse you used in the bathroom in sixth year."

Harry, not at all surprised by Malfoy's similar future experience, just nodded and bowed, and Malfoy bowed in sync.

"Ready, Potter?"

"Oh yeah. Expelliarmus!"

* * *

"I can't believe you, Harry!" Hermione complained the next morning, once again on his back for the duel in the trophy room. "What if we ran into Filch? We could've lost Gryffindor points!"

Harry sighed. "C'mon, Hermione," he said with annoyance, "nobody was hurt, we weren't caught, and moreover— I won!"

Of course, on the down side, they hadn't run into Fluffy. Harry would have to lead them into that little piece of danger before Halloween if he wanted them to figure out what Fluffy was guarding before exams. He did, however, wish they wouldn't end up thinking it was Snape who was doing it. The two of them had gotten off to a civil start, and he didn't want to have to ruin it.

Owls screeched, and Harry noticed that two large parcels carried by six owls were arriving; one for him and one for Malfoy (who'd he managed to get onto the Slytherin team, thank Merlin).

"Wow," he said to the people around him loudly as he read the card. "Thank Merlin McGonagall told me not to open this _obviously _broom-shaped package at the table. Of course it couldn't be a _broom_! There are a lot of things in the shape of a broom that aren't one, after all!"

A couple people laughed, and Harry could hear the other time-traveller making a similar comment about his own package and warning at the Slytherin table.

Hermione though, growled. "I suppose you think this is a reward for breaking the rules?"

"No," Harry laughed to his friend, "I think this is a reward for being a natural at Quidditch."

Obviously, Hermione didn't like this answer. She put her fork down and stood up hastily, and walked out of the Hall.

* * *

Halloween came quickly, and Harry was glad that Hermione wasn't spending her first Halloween feast crying in the girl's toilets. Of course, this left him no excuse to go looking for the troll, and he decided that maybe he should just leave the stone alone. Time had flown by so quickly that Harry didn't even remember to lead his three friends to the third floor.

"Troll," Quirrell screamed, rushing into the Great Hall, "in the dungeons! Thought you ought to know—" and fell to the floor in a fake faint. He wondered how Dumbledore managed to loose track of a man supposed to be out cold and not notice; well, he might've noticed. He did, after all, ask Snape to keep an eye on Quirrell at some point that year when Snape was complaining about him.

It took several minutes for the headmaster to calm the uproar, and Harry just continued to calmly eat his food the entire time. "Prefects, lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately."

At this, Harry decided to speak up. Malfoy did too. "You do realize," they both said loudly in sync, grabbing the entire Hall's attention, "that the Slytherin dormitories are in the dungeons?"

All the teachers and Slytherins nodded in agreement, and Dumbledore spoke up again, "Okay, never mind that order then. Students— stay here and continue your meal. Teachers— follow me to the dungeons. Argus, please get Madam Pomfrey to tend to dear Professor Quirrell, and Severus, supervise the students."

Of course, there was an underlying message that only Harry and Snape himself caught; 'Stay here with Quirrell, make sure he doesn't do anything'.

As soon as the doors to the Hall were closed behind the Troll Squad, Snape approached Harry. "Mr. Potter," he said coldly, "how, exactly, do you know the location of the Slytherin dormitories?"

Harry blinked a couple times and scratched his head nervously. "Well, it's not that hard to figure out," he laughed. "The Ravenclaws are in a tower, fifth floor, west wing, and the Hufflepuffs are near the kitchens."

Snape seemed to accept this answer, assuming that the Weasley twins or somebody told him the location of the kitchens, and walked back to the front of the room, his eyes always discreetly focusing on Quirrell.


	5. Warp 1, Year 1, Part 4

Here's chapter four! Enjoy and Review!

* * *

**Time Warp**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, nobody is going to die! (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE**: **When there is a time skip it can be assumed that during that time something equivalent to canon is happening without major changes. **As Harry doesn't want to compromise his future knowledge, he will be attempting to keep as much things the same while keeping as many deaths from not happening.

* * *

**Book 1, Chapter 11: Quidditch; Chapter 14: Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback; Chapter 15: The Forbidden Forest**

**Warp 1, Year 1 (part 4), Chapter 4: Suspicions**

* * *

Harry's broom jerked and he swore. Malfoy's head turned almost instantly in his direction and he stopped. Snape began muttering his counter-curse.

Hermione and Ron and Neville noticed Snape's moving lips and eye-contact at once. That was what Harry was afraid of. Over the year, he'd managed to build up a mutual relationship with Snape— Harry got his potions perfect and homework complete and Snape wouldn't be cruel to him for the sake of being cruel to him— and he didn't want to Hermione and Ron's suspicions to jeopardize it.

Malfoy flew up to him and raised an eyebrow at him. "What're you_ doing_, Potter? You have more experience with brooms that last time."

Harry's grip tightened. "Quirrell is jinxing it, stupid. Wait a little while; Hermione is going to knock him over when trying to set Snape's robes on fire," he said through clenched teeth. "Help me with the counter curse? If three of us are at it…" Harry trailed off and leaned closer to the buckling broom, reciting the counter-curse.

Malfoy nodded, wanting to get on with the game, and began the counter-curse too. The broom went still, and Malfoy flew off to continue his snitch search, and Harry looked over to the teacher's bleachers to see them stomping the fire on Snape's robes.

Why didn't anybody question why his robes were on fire? Why were they not panicking too badly? Had Snape spontaneously combusted before?

— don't answer that question, with the Weasley twins around it must've happened sometime…

* * *

"It was Snape!" Neville cried out after the match as the four first years and Hagrid walked back to the castle for dinner.

"Rubish. Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"

"Guys, I'm siding with Hagrid. Why would Snape want to jinx _my _broom?"

"Because he's a git?"

"Honestly, Ronald, he's not that bad."

"Yeah, Ron. It's not like he'd trying to steal the—" Harry stopped himself from saying any more, but Hagrid caught it.

"The what?"

Harry didn't know how to save himself this time, so he let a little bit out. "The thing that's under the trapdoor that three-headed dog on the third floor is guarding?"

"How do you know about Fluffy?"

"Well," Harry took a deep breath, ready to start a lie, "I got lost and ended up on the third floor and figured, 'okay, since it's on a trapdoor it's obviously guarding something!' That's all, the end. I know nothing more."

Hermione gave him a look that clearly said 'we'll talk about this later' and turned back to Hagrid. "I know a jinx when I see one— I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking!"

Harry groaned, "Have you read about counter-jinxes too?" and he walked ahead of them. Even Snape needed somebody to defend him, right?

Hermione continued to hammer Hagrid about what the dog and how maybe Snape _was_ trying to steal it. "—and Nicolas Flamel!" Well, if he decided to go and stop Quirrell after all then they would already be curious about it.

Well, he might as well go down there. As long as he didn't want the stone too hard then it wouldn't be an issue. And that stunt did earn them a lot of house points— enough to win the House Cup.

* * *

"Seriously Harry! How could you get lost? You know this castle better than most third years!"

Harry shrugged, never knowing how to explain why he never got lost. Even third years would occasionally get lost— the map had familiarized him with the castle more than he'd ever realized.

"It was during the first week!"

"And how do you know Snape's not trying to steal whatever it is? He isn't very nice to anybody after all— nobody but the Slytherins and you like him!"

He didn't really _like _Snape. It was just that Snape seemed to hold a key role in everything big in the future: if he could get along with Snape things would be so much easier! "I just don't think Snape's the type."

* * *

Exams were coming, and Harry couldn't believe that Hermione was so worried about them. He hadn't seen her_ this_ worked up since their _OWL_s!

Harry noticed Hagrid in the library and realized that he had Norbert now. Or, at least, he had Norbert's egg. Harry approached him with a cheerful smile, "Hello Hagrid! What's with the sudden interest in dragons?"

"Dragons? Where'd yeh get that idea? What're you lot up ter?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Well, we're studying for exams and—"

"Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Oh, we found him ages ago," said Ron proudly, and Neville nodded eagerly beside him. "And we know what the dog is guarding! It's a—"

"Don't go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh? They'll think I've told yeh!"

Harry laughed, "It's okay, Hagrid, we'll just stop by your hut later and ask you everything then." Hagrid nodded roughly and hurried out of the library. "So, Hermione, _Dittany_."

"Dittany is used in Potion-making, and is a powerful restorative. Its use makes skin stretch over a wound, and after application, the wound seems several days old. It sometimes releases flammable vapours."

"_Aconite_?"

"Also known as monkshood and wolfsbane. Once wide-spread, this plant is only found now in wild places. Its flowers are useful in potion-making, but its leaves are very toxic."

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"You should try putting your answers in you own words," Harry motioned to his copy of _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_. "You're just reciting what it says in here."

* * *

"Yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the stone, he's not about ter steal it." Hagrid's house was the same as ever, and as usual Harry fed his rocks to Fang, while Hermione, Ron, and Neville tried to eat them.

Harry rolled his eyes— whenever those two got the chance they'd push blame onto Snape. He wasn't even that bad this time! Not with Harry brewing perfect potions and keeping Neville from messing up too terribly. "C'mon you two, why are you so suspicious of Snape?"

Hermione raised her eyebrow, "Why _aren't_ you?"

"Yeah, Harry, he's so the type!"

Harry leaned against the back of his chair and said, "I find that _'the type'_ is the person you least suspect. If Snape was going to steal the stone he'd be less… suspicious. He's smart enough to know how to hide suspicion! Anyways, Hagrid, where's the dragon egg?"

* * *

This time, Malfoy had used his brain and not headed to the towers when they tried to smuggle the dragon, but he did tell Snape on them. Snape had been sneering at them the past two weeks or so, and Harry assumed that he wouldn't be quite as civil as he was before until at least third year…

Of course, this time Harry also used his brain and didn't leave the cloak at the top of the tower.

That didn't mean that they didn't end up with detention though. Hermione tripped on the cloak on the way down the stairs to find Snape at the bottom of the stairs as she fell from under it and accidentally pulled it off Harry. Okay, maybe he wouldn't forgive them until fourth year. He picked up Harry's cloak and raised an eyebrow.

"Your father's invisibility cloak, Mr Potter?" Snape had said with his old tone, sneering and hating.

"Uh, yeah. That is. Who'd have thought?" Harry had smiled nervously, and Snape did not react. He pulled Hermione off the ground and the two followed him to McGonagall. There, they found Neville and Malfoy. Apparently, while Malfoy didn't go to where they were, he did meet up with Neville in front of the Gryffindor common room and been caught having a verbal-spar with Neville.

So that was how they all managed to _still _get detention with Hagrid in the forest.

"Seriously," Harry complained to Malfoy as the two of them and Fang marched along random paths. "It's called the _Forbidden _Forest for a reason. This is just encouraging us to come in here— that it's safe enough if Hagrid is willing to let two first years wander alone at night!"

"Harry, we're both twenty years old— mentally at least— we can do more than just first-year spells."

"But they don't know that! What if we ran into an Acromantula?"

"Those only live in Southeast Asia…"

"Hagrid got one in his third year; there's a whole colony in here now."

Malfoy shuddered. "I think I get your point here. Hey, you know what would've been funny?"

"What?"

"If one of those Acromantulas ate You-Know-Who when he hid out here in the Battle of Hogwarts."

Harry started to laugh, and then stopped for a moment before beginning to laugh again. "You know, I think I've figured out how to kill Voldemort!"

"How? Acromantulas?"

"Pot a full-grown Mandrake in advanced, then put on some earmuffs and pull it out of the dirt!"

When they finished their laughing fit they realized that they'd managed to wander into the dead unicorn.

"Malfoy," Harry said warily to his companion and eyed Voldemort, "do the spark thing."

* * *

In the morning, the two of them sat down in their Potions class and Snape glared at Harry much like before. Harry felt a familiar tug on his mind. He quickly focused on the memories of the forest _last time_ until the Legilimency eased up. "Potter, I don't want you working with Longbottom today. Longbottom, you will work with Crabbe, Potter with Malfoy."

Harry quickly picked up his things and sat beside Malfoy. Neville's potion was bound to be tragic now, but there wasn't much Harry could do about that. He hoped that Neville picked some Potions skills from Harry.

"You know," Malfoy mumbled to him as they began to work, "if you want to kill the Dark Lord with a mandrake then you'll have to make sure all the onlookers have earmuffs too. Including us Death Eaters… unless you want us to die too…"

"You're not a Dea-f Ea'r yet!" Harry hissed, remembering his new name for them just in time. "And don't you dare join him this time either!"

Draco blinked twice, and then raised an eyebrow, shook his head and left momentarily to retrieve an ingredient from the store cupboard. When he returned he shook his head again. "You're trying to prevent deaths, aren't you?"

"Yeah! What else could I be doing? This year I don't have an issue but in fourth—"

"That'll be a lot harder than you think it'll be, Potter. You'd have to kill Him as soon as he was revived, and I don't think you can really do that…"

"He was quite the first year of return. All I have to do is kill him at the Battle of the Department of Mysteries!"

"What about the Horcruxes? The one that you don't know how it's protected?" Harry regretted the media getting a hold of the stories about the Horcruxes. After he announced it at the Battle of Hogwarts it was inevitable, but still— he wished that everybody hadn't known everything.

"I can still get it myself!"

"I, for one, am not going to be changing anything on purpose—"

"So we're enemies then?"

"Pretty much."


	6. Warp 1, Year 1, Part 5

**

* * *

**

**Time Warp**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, nobody is going to die! (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE**: **When there is a time skip it can be assumed that during that time something equivalent to canon is happening without major changes. **As Harry doesn't want to compromise his future knowledge, he will be attempting to keep as much things the same while keeping as many deaths from not happening. Remember, this story is just a prologue to a paradox saga.

* * *

**Book 1, Chapter 16: Through the Trapdoor; Chapter 17: The Man with Two Faces**

**Warp 1, Year 1 (part 5), Chapter 5: Finale**

* * *

Harry didn't mention his scar to them this time. He wanted to completely kill Dumbledore's 'Harry is a Horcrux' theory. He knew he had to be destroyed; Snape didn't need to know though. He saw the devastated look on Snape's face and decided not to let him go through it. Though he didn't know how to save Ron's dad from Nagini if he didn't allow Dumbledore to know about the connection with Voldemort— he had a couple years to think that one through.

"We really should tell a responsible adult," Harry insisted as Hermione, Neville, and Ron.

"Mate, we just tried that. Weren't you paying attention?"

Harry groaned, "I was, I mean we should try harder."

Neville, who Harry had noticed was nothing like he was during the first warp (seeing as this warp he had friends), spoke up, "Snape is—"

Harry groaned. "How many times do I have to tell you? It's not Snape!"

"Harry, no, it's got to be Snape," Hermione insisted.

Neville gasped, and the other three turned around to see Snape standing at the end of the hallway. "Good afternoon," he said smoothly.

Harry waved, "Good afternoon, professor!"

"You might want to be careful. Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something," Snape said with an odd smile, "and Gryffindor can't afford to loose anymore points, can they?"

"Of course not," Harry grinned back, "we were just warning McGonagall that we think that Hagrid accidentally let some vital information while drunk in Hogsmead. Specifically, that he has a Cerberus who falls asleep at the sound of music."

Snape continued to hold his odd smile, and said, "Well, that can't be good, can it?"

"No. We were debating on who this person might be. I think it's Quirrell, but they think otherwise. You should be careful swooping around like that, Professor. People might think that you're up to something."

Snape gave him a calculating stare and turned and swooped off into the staff room.

* * *

The night had come and the quartet was walking carefully down the hall under the invisibility cloak.

They opened the door and three of the four gaped at the giant three-headed dog. Harry didn't even falter as he quickly cast a charm on the harp to make it play for a good fifteen minutes. While the other three were still frozen with shock, Harry opened the trapdoor and jumped in, landed on the Devil's Snare, and quickly jumped up and scrambled to the wall.

"C'mon you three!" he called up loudly and heard Ron and Hermione begin to bicker about who would jump first. "Hurry up!" he yelled again, and the next thing he knew Neville was at his side (recognizing the plant in seconds).

Ron and Hermione jumped at one and Hermione struggled to escape the plant, but managed. Ron, on the other hand, didn't know what the plant was and sat there for a couple moments, enough to be wrapped in the plant's vines.

"Lucky this plant was here," Ron said, not noticing the vines.

"Lucky?" Hermione shrieked. "This is the Devil's Snare! Stop moving, it'll only kill you faster!"

Hermione didn't say anything after that, and Ron stopped moving. "Hurry up Hermione," he said after a long moment, "I can't breathe!"

"It hates light!" Neville exclaimed.

"We can light a fire!"

"… but there's no wood…"

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD? ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

"Incendio," Harry cast as Ron yelled at Hermione for momentarily forgetting that she could just conjure fire. "Hey guys, ten gallons says that the person we'll find at the end is going to be Quirrell."

* * *

"What're you doing?" Harry greeted Quirrell with a grin.

"What does it look like?"

"It looks like you're trying to steal the Stone."

Quirrell looked from Harry to the mirror, "I see myself presenting the Stone to my master."

Harry began to laugh, "You see yourself presenting the Stone to the back of your head?"

Quirrell didn't ask him how he knew. "I don't understand. Is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"

"_Use the boy._" Voldemort's voice echoed through the small chamber, and Harry smiled. This was the moment of reckoning. What did he want more than anything else? He wanted to be at home with Ginny, he wanted Sirius out of Azkaban, and he didn't want the stone out of the mirror.

"Potter, come here. Look into the mirror and tell me what you see."

Harry walked towards him and looked into the mirror. He saw Ginny, the grown up one, standing with her arm around him, the grown up him, with Remus, Tonks and Teddy, Ron and Hermione, Sirius, and many other people that died in the war. He focused on the picture of his parents that he saw in the mirror the first time and said, "I see my family."

"_Kill him._"

Harry cursed. He needed to buy time; he'd forgotten how long it took for Dumbledore to arrive. There was only one thing he could do now. He could kill Quirrell and hope that Voldemort didn't do whatever it was he did that made him pass out.

Harry reached his hands out and grabbed Quirrell's face, and the man began to crumble.

* * *

"Good Morning," Harry woke up the next morning on a hospital bed and greeted the people all around him. Ron was on a bed across from him, and Hermione and Neville were sitting in chairs beside Ron's bed. "No love for me now?"

Hermione stood up and ran over to give Harry a big hug. Dumbledore, who Harry hadn't noticed immediately, called, "Poppy!"

Madam Pomfrey hurried over and saw Harry's open eyes and that he was moving to sit up. "No, no," she said hurriedly, "don't sit up. You're not to be out of bed for at least a week!"

Harry didn't listen to her, and sat up. "What about the Quidditch Cup?"

Madam Pomfrey scoffed, "No, Quidditch is far to dangerous for a recovering—"

"When's the match?"

"Tomorrow," Ron said helpfully.

"We don't have a reverse seeker though!"

"No, Mr Potter, you will be staying right here tomorrow."

Harry groaned, "Madam Pomfrey! I feel fine!"

* * *

Harry opened his eyes the next afternoon to the twinkling blue eyes of Dumbledore. He did have to get this conversation over with; he wasn't very happy at Dumbledore at the moment for withholding information all those—these— years. Dumbledore _could've _let him know about everything in advanced, but no. He never learned about anything until it was absolutely necessary.

"What happened to the Stone?" Harry inquired, trying to remember what direction this conversation had taken last time. He remembered about the Stone being destroyed and some dabbling on Snape's hatred of him. Snape didn't eve come up in Quirrell's conversation with him this time, so he shouldn't bring that up.

"The Stone has been destroyed, my boy," Dumbledore said calmly, and Harry nodded. He didn't want to drag things he already knew and didn't matter out too far. He would try to squeeze out information that he needed Dumbledore to tell him so he didn't have to pretend not to know anything.

"Why does–" there was a pause. Harry was about to say 'Riddle' like he had become accustomed to since the final battle, but stopped himself just in time, "—Voldemort want to kill me so bad in the first place? Even now, really?"

"Alas, I cannot tell you," Harry groaned at Dumbledore's words. Of course he wouldn't tell Harry until it was absolutely necessary. This is why Sirius is dead, well, he wasn't dead anymore, but that was why Sirius had died. "Not today, not now, when you're older, Harry."

Did Dumbledore know that the first time he and Harry spoke he'd called him by his first name? He was the only student that Dumbledore was on first-name basis with, but Harry didn't think that that'd started until at least second or third year…

"The cloak," Harry realized he'd asked about it last time, and he did consider it something he should know in the future, "you sent me the cloak, didn't you?"

"Useful things, your father used to use it to sneak off to the kitchens to steal food. He happened to leave it in my possession and I thought you'd like it."

* * *

Harry didn't want to go to the leaving feast, not really. He wanted to leave the Hospital Wing, of course, but he'd rather roam the castle, get some food from the house elves, and spend the final day flying his Nimbus outside.

As soon as he was allowed to leave the infirmary he ran into Malfoy. "Hey," Harry greeted him casually, not stopping.

"Are you going to the feast?" Malfoy asked curiously, noticing that Harry wasn't walking in the direction of the Great Hall.

Harry shrugged, "Nah, I just don't feel like it. Want to come flying with me?"

Mafoy shrugged his shoulders, "Might as well, I don't feel like hearing Dumbledore favour Gryffindor."

"You're right about that. I mean, 'the best game of chess'? Like really?"

* * *

When he was given his exam results Harry wasn't surprised. He came in third only to Hermione and Malfoy. Hermione was his and Malfoy's line, they didn't succeed in a spell until after she did, they didn't let themselves get better marks than she did, she was the highest intelligence that they felt they could show without suspicion.

The house elves began their summer cleaning, Trevor was found (he'd been missing since December), and notes about magic during the holidays went out to the underage students. Hagrid took the first years across the lake, and Harry decided there was a plot to make sure that first years got the last choice of seats on the train. The boarded the Hogwarts Express and talked and laughed and played exploding snap as the train approached King's Cross station. They changed out of their robes into muggle clothing (except Neville, who'd be slide- appariting with his Gran), and pulled into Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

"You must come visit over the summer," Ron addressed all three of them

"I'll hold you to that," Harry replied with a smile.

"Bye Harry!"

"See you, Potter!"

"Still famous?" Neville laughed to his friend as he walked over to his Gran and the two disappeared waving. Harry, Ron, and Hermione went through the gateway for their parents.

"There he is Mum! There he is, look!" Ginny squealed excitedly to her mother when she caught sight of Harry. She jumped up and down and pointed until her mother scolded her for it.

"Busy year, dears?"

"Very. Thanks for the fudge and jumper, by the way!"

"Oh, it was nothing."

"Ready, are you," Vernon approached the group, and Harry bade his farewells. "Hurry up, we haven't got all day!"


	7. Warp 1, Year 2, Part 1

I apologize for the delay on this chapter. I was on a school trip to the capital for the past three days, so I'm publishing the chapter as soon as I possible. Enjoy! (and review?)

* * *

**Time Warp**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, nobody is going to die! (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE**: **When there is a time skip it can be assumed that during that time something equivalent to canon is happening without major changes. **As Harry doesn't want to compromise his future knowledge, he will be attempting to keep as much things the same while keeping as many deaths from not happening.

* * *

**Book 2, Chapter 2: Dobby's Warning; Chapter 3: the Burrow; Chapter 4: at Flourish and Blotts**

**Warp 1, Year 2 (part 1), Chapter 7: Familiar Places and Faces**

* * *

When Harry reached his room he was fully expecting to see Dobby sitting on his bed, and the gasp of shock was purely acting. "May I take your coats, Mr and Mrs Mason?" he heard Dudley's voice travel up the stairs.

He turned to Dobby and hissed, "Who are you and what are you doing in my room?" His voice was quiet and controlled, and he kept his ear's attention on the going-ons downstairs, knowing he had to make sure the Dursleys didn't notice anything was up.

"Harry Potter!" Dobby shrieked with happiness. "I'm just Dobby, sir, Dobby the house elf."

Harry was always one who didn't speak ill of the dead; he'd completely forgotten how _annoying _Dobby really was. "Be quieter! This isn't the best time for me to have a house-elf in my bedroom— if you'll come back tomorrow when Vernon isn't making the "biggest deal of his career", I will gladly hear you out. Just not now," he tried. Petunia's high, false laugh sounded from the living room and Harry doubted Vernon could've made that deal even without the cake-incident.

"Dobby has come to tell you, sir… it is difficult, sir… Dobby wonders where to begin…"

Harry groaned, of course Dobby wouldn't leave until he'd completed his goal. "How about at the beginning?" he said sarcastically.

"Of course, Dobby will start at the beginning, sir. Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts!"

"Right," Harry couldn't help but laugh. "That's not really the beginning… if that's anything, it's the end. Sit down and explain," the words were out of his mouth before Harry could remember what Dobby's reaction would be.

"_Sit down? Never… never ever…_" he wailed and Harry cringed. The voices downstairs faltered; he glanced nervously at the door and then back at Dobby.

"Sorry, but be quiet and get to the bloody point!" he whispered harshly.

"Dobby has never been asked to sit down by a wizard— like an _equal_—" Dobby didn't take Harry's order to be silent and Harry was fearing Vernon bursting in at any moment.

"Are you not an equal?"

"No, sir, Dobby is a house-elf—" Harry didn't want to have to deal with the explanations of what a house-elf is, so he cut Dobby off with a quick hand movement.

"Will you please get to the point?"

"There is a plot, Harry Potter. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year."

He didn't know what to do from here. He knew not to question a house-elf protecting his master's secrets— especially if said master is Lucius Malfoy— and he really didn't want to agree or disagree with him. He knew the consequences. "You mean like the plot last year to steal the Philosopher's Stone and revive Voldemort." He tried hard to punctuate it like a statement, but Dobby took it as a question. Dobby opened his mouth to speak and then turned and began to bang his head against the wall and after a couple of bangs he yelped.

It was suddenly silent downstairs. "Dudley must've left his television on, the little tyke!" Vernon laughed it off, and Harry quickly picked Dobby up and shoved him in the closet.

"Shut up, stay still," he ordered quickly and lay down casually onto his bed as Vernon burst through the door.

"What the _devil _are you doing up here?" Vernon said through gritted teeth. "I was about to say the punch line of my Japanese golfer joke and you ruined it! One more sound and you'll wish you'd never been born, boy." The plump man stomped out of the room and Harry rolled his eyes. How did this ever intimidate him?

He let Dobby out of the wardrobe and sighed. "Dobby, I don't think I can agree to this. You see, my Aunt and Uncle just love to get rid of me, and would pretty much force me out of the house on September First now. If I don't go, I'll be homeless." It wasn't quite true, but Harry hoped that it'd do the trick.

It didn't. "It would be safer out there then in Hogwarts."

Harry was one stupid reply away from banging his head against the wall. "Dobby, use your brain here— don't try to save me! I can deal with it! I faced Voldemort himself last year! I think I can deal with whatever is being plotted this year."

"No, no you can't, Harry Potter. It's dangerous—"

"I'll carry a mirror around with me to look around corners, all right?" Harry snapped, quickly getting impatient.

Dobby just stared at him, and then shook his head. "Harry Potter has left me no choice."

Shit! Harry grabbed Dobby and Dobby yelped. The hero covered the house-elf's mouth and held him tightly. "Now you listen to me, Dobby. I can handle it, and if you dare do anything else I swear I_ will_tell Malfoy about the… enlightening news you've given me."

Dobby paled, and disappeared. Harry carefully crept out of his room, listening for disturbances downstairs. He crawled down the stairs, skipping the creaky ones; he poked his head into the kitchen and eyed Petunia's stationary pudding. The time-traveller let out a sigh of relief, though he expected Dobby to try again before the summer was over. That was something he wasn't prepared for. He climbed cautiously back up the steps and into his room.

* * *

Two days later Harry was running around the house stopping Dobby from charming things and causing enough mayhem for him to be expelled.

So far he'd gotten three warnings from the ministry (which he sent a solemn reply about a house elf trying to ruin his life and a picture of Dobby performing a hover charm on the television set.) He promised he had everything under control and there was no need to inform Lucius Malfoy. Mafalda Hopkirk was surprisingly kind about the issue— apparently she was a bit of a mistreated-house-elf activist— and Lucius Malfoy was not informed.

Harry heard a crack and ran into the living room to see Dobby performing _Expulso_ on the living room couch. Harry talked the elf quickly and cast _reparo _right before the Dursleys came rushing into the room and Dobby disappeared again.

Harry rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders before retreating to his room. "_Alohomora_," he mumbled, pointing his wand at Hedwig's cage. He quickly wrote a letter to Draco Malfoy explaining the situation and requested for him to control his house-elf.

He walked down the stairs to see his Aunt and Uncle glaring at him. "Yes?" he inquired with a lopsided, nervous smile.

"Boy, what has been going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know what we mean," Vernon growled angrily. "There's been strange things happening, and you've been acting even stranger than usual!"

Harry looked away from the red-faced man. "I don't know anything about it." Harry looked back up to them and walked into the kitchen. "What would you three like for dinner?"

* * *

It was three days after his birthday and he was quite excited to leave Privet Drive. The day was uneventful besides Hedwig's return with Malfoy's reply that Harry shouldn't try to change anything, but because the mayhem hadn't happened in the first timeline he didn't mind telling Dobby to leave Harry alone the rest of the summer. What was eventful was the night.

Harry was woken up late that night (or early in the morning, maybe) by Ron Weasley tapping against his window. Harry's eyes snapped open immediately and he walked over to the window and opened it. "Ron?" he questioned. "How did you— what the—" he was, of course, referring to the flying car.

"All right, Harry?" Fred asked curiously. It didn't have the tone of worry Harry remembered from last time— this time there wasn't bars on his window— and George nodded in concurrence.

"What's been going on? Why haven't you been answering my letters? I asked you to come stay over about twelve times! And with Dad's announcing all those warnings from the Ministry… you know we're not supposed to do spells outside of school! Anyways, we're taking you home with us now."

Harry smiled, "Good! My stuff is locked up in the cupboard under the stairs, though…"

"Don't worry 'bout that!" George laughed, "Me and Gred here can pick locks muggle-style!"

Harry nodded as they two climbed in the window and Harry opened his door for them to hurry downstairs. Harry took Hedwig's re-locked cage and passed her into the car. He collected his other miscellaneous belongings after and passed them to Ron before rushing down to help Fred and George lug up his other things.

They loaded the car and closed the window behind them before taking off again. Harry looked over to Hedwig and then to Fred. "Can we unlock Hedwig? She's been cooped up there all summer."

"Sure!" and Fred began to work his lock-picking on the padlock. Soon, Hedwig was soaring beside them, like a ghost against the dark night sky.

Harry pointed out there visibility after a couple of moments, "If we're seen—" and the twins turned on the invisibility booster.

"So, what's the story, Harry?"

"A mad house-elf doesn't want me going to Hogwarts this year. Apparently it's too dangerous. He's been trying to get me into enough trouble with the ministry they'll expel me or something," Harry summed up nicely.

"Very fishy," Fred said bluntly.

"Definitely dodgy," George agreed.

"I recon somebody sent him as a joke— nasty rules those house-elves have to abide, can't do _nothing _without their master's permission."

"Can you think of anybody who has a grudge against you?"

"Yes," Ron said at the same time Harry said, "No."

"Draco Malfoy!" Ron insisted, and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Malfoy doesn't _hate _me. Not enough for him to do something like _that, _anyways."

"Draco Malfoy? Not Lucius Malfoy's son?" George inquired.

"How many other Draco Malfoys are there in our year that aren't fond of me?"

"I heard Dad talking about him." Fred started.

"He was a big supporter of You-Know-Who."

"And when You-Know-Who disappeared—"

"—Lucius came back saying he never meant any of it."

"Load of dung."

"Dad recons he was right in with You-Know-Who's inner circle."

"Well," Ron cut in, obviously not liking the subject, "I'm glad we came to get you, anyway. I was getting really worried when you didn't reply. At first we thought it was Errol's fault—it wouldn't be the first time he collapsed during delivery— so I tried to borrow Hermes, but Percy wouldn't lend him to me, said he needed him—"

* * *

Life at the Burrow was so routine that Harry all by forgot the act he was putting up— sure, he was a couple feet shorter and Ginny couldn't be in the same room as him without blushing a dark red and wasn't able to actually speak with him, but it was still just like home. Things that had shocked and amazed him the first time around wouldn't even cause him to bat an eyelash this time.

The Wednesday after they received their Hogwarts letters they all crowded around the kitchen mantelpiece and Mrs. Weasley took the flowerpot filled with floo powder and offered it to Harry. "Guests first," she said with a welcoming smile. "Oh, and Arthur, we're running low, we'll have to get some more today."

Harry absentmindedly stuck his hand in and took a handful of powder, threw it into the fireplace. "Diagon Ally," he managed to walk in and say before he remembered that he'd never used the floo before.

"He's never travelled by floo before," Ron commented questioningly to his family as they disappeared.

"He probably knew it instinctively—"

"— like he seemed to know everything else around here—"

"— because nobody told that kid how to do anything—"

"— and he didn't question anything either—"

The rest of the Weasley family blinked, took in what the twins said, and shrugged. "Can't leave him waiting there," Molly said as she pushed Ron in next, while Percy mumbled, "Potter _is_ a strange one."

* * *

The rest of the Weasley family came into the Leaky Cauldron one by one, and Harry greeted them with a wave. "Took you guys long enough!" he laughed.

From across the pub, a familiar (to Harry, at least) voice laughed back, "Like you can say anything! You fell out of the fireplace! Just like his father, that one," and Harry looked over to see Remus Lupin sipping on a cup of tea. "Hello Harry," he greeted him.

"Hello sir," he said, noting carefully not to call him Professor.

"Oh, Remus!" Molly called. "How are you? We haven't seen you since… well, ten years ago! Would you join us today?" and Arthur nodded in agreement.

Remus gave his typical reply, "Oh, I don't want to impose."

"Nonsense," Molly gave _her _typical reply. Harry didn't know if it was out of a friendship or some kind of pity she has for lonely people, but he was grateful for it, because he knew nobody could argue with a doting Molly Weasley. "You wouldn't be imposing at all!"

Remus put his cup down and walked over to the group. "Well, if you're sure," he shrugged. "Nice to meet you," he said to the Weasley children and Harry, "I'm Remus Lupin, and you are?"

"Percy Weasley, Mr. Lupin. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I'm Ron, and the shy girl over here is Ginny."

"I'm Forge, and this is my twin—"

"Gred Weasley at your service Mr. Lupin."

The door of the pub opened and Harry recognized the people entering as the Granger family. Harry tuned quickly, and waved them over, forgetting to introduce himself— he hadn't needed to introduce himself to anybody at all since he was eleven the first time around. "Oh, Hermione! We're over here!" he called to her.

He turned back to Remus and smiled. "This is Hermione Granger, Mr. Lupin," the name felt weird on his tongue, "and these are her parents." He motioned to the three people walking over to them. "Hermione, Mr. Granger, Mrs. Granger, this is Mr. Remus Lupin."

"Hello Mr. Lupin."

"Now that we're all here we should hurry along. Remus, can you watch Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Arthur and I will take Ginny to get her wand and robes. Percy, keep the twins out of trouble. We'll meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour," Molly organized. Everybody nodded and walked in different directions.

The Golden Trio met up with Neville in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies and then headed over to the bank for Harry to retrieve some money. When they entered Harry's vault Remus smiled, "The Potter Vault seems to still be full," he laughed.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, scooping up some gallons and tossing them into a pouch. "Would you like some, Mr. Lupin? You look like you need some new robes…" he felt bad that he hadn't offered the Weasley family charity, but he knew they wouldn't accept so he hadn't bothered. Lupin was probably unemployed at this point though.

"No thank you, Harry. You seemed to have inherited your father's gift for charity though— he wouldn't stop giving me money for new robes and things back when we were in Hogwarts together," Remus refused as Harry expected he would.

Harry faked shock. "Oh," he said with a gasp. "You went to school with my dad?"

"Yes I did, Harry. He was a very good friend of mine."

"Really? Can you tell me about him and my mum?" Harry asked eagerly as they exited the vault.

"Well, your father was a real prankster. He, I, and two other friends of ours were always planning things, and we were always out after hours. He was smart and he made head boy in seventh year— in sixth he smartened up in attempt to win your mum's heart— and we went out with a bang! The lowest points any house has had in the history of the school!"

As they headed out into the alley Harry was bombarded by stories about the Marauders. Not once was Peter or Sirius mentioned by name, though. They were both the 'other two friends'. From the way Remus was speaking it was almost like he was James's very best friend instead of Sirius.

"We get to actually meet him! I mean, he's written almost the entire booklist!" Hermione squealed like a fan-girl and Harry and Remus rolled their eyes in unison.

"A fraud, I'll bet," Harry laughed. "I'm getting out of here. Nobody buy me any of his books, I'll deal without," he announced, hoping to avoid meeting Lockhart. "Come with me, Mr. Lupin?" He walked out, not awaiting an answer from Remus, who did follow him out.

Outside the shop he saw Lucius and Draco Malfoy walking towards them. Harry sighed. One catastrophe averted; another approaching fast at two o'clock.

"If it isn't Potter," Malfoy spat his words out and Harry raised his eyebrows.

"If it isn't Ferret-Boy," he retorted casually and rolled his eyes. "Piece of advice— stay out of that shop. I doubt you'll need those 'textbooks' for DADA."

"I wasn't planning on going in."

"Smart move, Ferrett-Boy."

"You'll never let that go, will you?"

"Nope!" and Lucius entered the shop, unaware his son had just spun around and walked off.

Remus blinked a couple times and then looked down at Harry. "Well, that was weird," he announced.

"No really, Mr. Lupin," Harry replied sarcastically.

"You know," Remus retorted, "I was referring to what you were saying too. And stop calling me Mr. Lupin. Call me Remus."

"I'm twelve, Mr. Lupin. I wouldn't feel right calling you by your first name. Do you, perhaps, have a nickname or something I could call you?" he really hoped that this would work. He'd love to be able to call Remus '_Moony_'. The twins would be impressed that he knew a Marauder and because Remus didn't mention it outright there was no way for him to brag about it.

Remus didn't respond immediately. Harry suspected that he was thinking through giving him _the name_. Finally, he whispered, "Moony," he didn't expand right away, but Harry didn't say anything. "Your father would call me _Moony_, and he was _Prongs_."

"Moony," Harry repeated once it was clear that Remus wasn't going to say any more. "I like it. Can I have a name?"

Moony smiled at him a soft, fatherly smile. "We'd call you _Prongslet _when you were a baby, but if you ever achieve _it _then I'll give you a proper Marauder title."

"It?" Harry assumed_ it_was becoming an animagus. That was definitely something he'd have to learn. A Marauder title would be an honour.

"_It_." Moony confirmed in a finalizing tone that discouraged any future questioning.

There were sounds of a struggle from inside the bookstore. Screams of "Get him, Dad!" came from Fred and George; "No, Arthur, no!" from Molly Weasly; "Gentlemen, please— please!" from the shopkeeper; and finally there was a loud, "Break it up there, gents, break it up," from Hagrid. Harry guessed that Arthur and Lucius had just gotten into their famous fight.

Lucius stormed out of the shop seconds after the shouts became silent and Harry almost laughed at the sight of him. The Weasley family, Grangers, Neville, and Hagrid all hurried out of the shop moments later.

"I can't believe you missed that, Harry!" Ron cried and Harry rolled his eyes. After watching Molly Weasley kill Bellatrix Lestrange, watching Lucius and Arthur get into a harmless fight in a bookshop was nothing.

Then he realized that he'd forgotten to ask

Malfoy to specifically order his house elf to leave the barrier alone. Oh, well, Harry shrugged it off. He could still owl him when he got back to the Burrow.


	8. Warp 1, Year 2, Part 2

So you may be wondering why this chapter has been removed and republished… I got a review pointing out my stupid mistakes and I've gone through and revised the chapter. Thanks so much to _swanpride_ for the crit!

**For those of you who read the first version- THIS MAJORLY DIFFERENT THAN THE ORIGINAL!**_**DON'T JUST SKIP IT.**_

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And---_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, nobody is going to die! (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE**: **When there is a time skip it can be assumed that during that time something equivalent to canon is happening without major changes. **(maybe minor ones, though, considering the way I've screwed up the Golden Trio… into a Quartet… and now…)

* * *

**Book 2, Chapter 6: Gilderoy Lockhart; Chapter 8: The Deathday Party**

**Warp 1, Year 2 (part 2), Chapter 7: An Attack**

* * *

Harry exited the school train casually, quite happy that he wasn't crashing into the Whomping Willow like he was _last time._ He really didn't need that strike against him in Snape's books— not after how he finished last year, with Gryffindor heroics that obviously reminded the man of Harry's father. He'd been giving him dirty looks and evil stress throughout the entire leaving feast!

Hagrid was yelling, "Firs' years over here!" And the second years didn't seem to know where to go. Most just followed the crowd.

"So…" Ron looked around, "how do second years get to the castle?" Neville shrugged and looked around.

"The carriages," said Harry, pointing to the people boarding the horseless carriages.

They climbed onto the carriages and Ron said, "Brilliant, magic is. Right, Hermione?" He was obviously making reference to Hermione's parents here. She blushed, obviously realizing the exact same thing.

"Lay off," the time-traveller sighed. "I was raised by muggles too, you know."

He didn't reply, but blushed a red darker than his hair. Harry gave him a comforting smile, but also said no more. He pondered instead.

He confirmed that Ginny had the diary when she panicked in the car as they left because she forgot it. Harry considered stealing it from her at the first moment he could, but changed his mind. The basilisk in the Chamber was the best way to destroy Horcruxes. He also considered slipping it to somebody else to open the Chamber, but there were no guarantees that another person would— and if they did there were no guarantees on the effect that it would have on them. He knew that Ginny would be able to move past it, but he couldn't know for sure if the person he slipped it to would.

When they reached the front door, Peeves was bobbing around the entrance cackling a the school tune at them while dropping dungboms on his least favourite students. _"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts—"_

Everybody rushed by him with their hands covering their head and into the Great Hall. By the time that Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville entered a low buzz of conversation had settled in, which was met by the annoyed looks of Snape. Malfoy was talking particularly loud, telling any Slytherin that would listen about how much he wished the mudbloods would just go and die. Some things never change.

Soon enough, McGonagall and the nervous first years had entered and the buzz turned to absolute silence. The twins were glaring ominously at the poor firsties, making them even more nervous then they already are. "Is that really what we looked like to everybody else last year?" Hermione questioned self-consciously.

"I'm sure you looked even worse," Ron mumbled back. "You were going on about how you knew it all— the whole hall heard. I'm sure everyone was silently laughing at you."

"I told you to lay off her, Ron. What's gotten into you," Harry butt in. "Now be quiet, I want to watch the sorting." He didn't really want to watch the sorting _that _much, but he couldn't deny that it was interesting. He hadn't seen this year's sorting last time, and it was weird to know where everybody would go.

Colin was sorted into Gryffindor and Harry prepared himself for him when he sat next to him. Luna was sorted into Ravenclaw and Harry wondered about befriending her— she would sure make life a bit more interesting. Ginny was sorted into Gryffindor and she got the loudest cheering out of all the first years, curtsey of Fred and George.

The sorting ended and Dumbledore simply said, "Enjoy," to cue the elves for the food. It appeared and he heard many first years (especially the muggleborns) mutter to each other about how amazing it was.

"Hello, I'm Colin Creevy!" he said excitedly.

"Hullo Colin," Harry said with a friendly smile. "What do you think of Hogwarts so far?"

"It's brilliant! How do they get the ceiling to do that? Is there really a Giant Squid in the lake? What's in the towers? Are they classrooms? What about—"

Harry laughed, "Calm down, Colin! One question at a time. The ceiling is enchanted to look like the sky, like a wizard's version of a sunroof. Yeah, there is a Giant Squid, but I haven't seen it myself. There's lots of different things in the towers… one of them is the Gryffindor Dormitories, another is the Ravenclaw's… one is the Trelawney's classroom…" he listed. "Oh," he added after a moment, "I'm Harry Potter, nice to meet you!"

"Are you really?"

Harry head-desked. Hard. "No," he replied sarcastically. "I was lying. I'm really Nearly Headless Nick."

Hermione slapped his head lightly. "There's no need to be rude about it."

* * *

The Mandrakes had just been planted and Harry was walking towards his next class when he was cornered by Lockhart the fist time. "Harry, Harry, Harry," the fraud had said, and Harry wondered what he'd done this time around to get the man on his back. "I was watching you at the feast—" the feast had gone swimmingly in Harry's opinion; he'd managed to get Colin off his back and befriend him in one go, "— and noticed a first year fawning over you."

"Really? Who?" Harry replied dumbly. He wouldn't call was Colin had been going _fawnin_g— not when he'd seen Colin really fawning over him the first time. For Colin, this was actually really good!

"That little mousy-haired one. Creevy, was it?"

"Colin?" He had expected that much, but he would stand by what he thought before. This wasn't bad… for Colin, that is. "Colin wasn't fawning."

"Oh, my boy, you don't understand what being famous is like. That was celebrity-worship at its best."

"Right," Harry retorted and turned and began to walk in the other direction, not caring that he was going to be late for Transfiguration.

Ron wasn't having the same trouble as he did last time with his Spellotaped wand, mainly because it wasn't broken this time, and Harry wondered momentarily how Lockhart was going to go out. He knew the curse would get that man in one was or another, and sooner better than later…

He vowed to try his hardest to get rid of Lockhart. Maybe he could recruit Peeves…

The first Defence class didn't go much better either, in Harry's opinion.

"Me," Lockhart began his class arrogantly, "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, third class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League and five time winner—" Harry tuned out the annoying teacher. He, Ron, and Hermione had outdone Lockhart by the time they were twenty— Harry had won the Most-Charming-Smile-Award eight consecutive times, not to mention his _first class _Order of Merlin and many more achievements.

"Harry Potter, I'm talking to you!" Harry snapped his head up, ready to refuse whatever Professor Ego asked of him. "Where are your textbooks?"

"What textbooks, Professor? All I saw on my list was novels that don't teach anything about Defence Against the Dark Arts."

Lockhart couldn't seem to manage to think up a decent response to this and began to stutter. Finally, he turned to the rest of the class and said, "I thought we'd start today off with a little quiz." The class all moaned in unison. "Nothing to be worried about— just to check if you've read them and how much you've taken in."

He handed out the test papers and said "You have thirty minutes, start now."

_**What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favourite colour?**_

Harry sighed and began to write his test, pointing out each question as irrelevant to the subject in as many different sarcastic ways as possible. For example:

_Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition to rid the world of evil by marketing his own hair-care products has nothing to do with Defence Against the Dark Arts because most of us students are not able to rid the world of evil like that and have to resort to petty wars and duelling. Which is what this class is about. Moreover, because this ambition was published in a bestselling book, so it can hardly classify as secret._

Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers riffled through them in front of the class. He looked disgusted when he saw Harry's.

"Tut, tut– hardly any of you remembered that my favourite colour is lilac, and my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil _and _market my own range of hair care products, not rid of the world of evil _by _marketing my own range of hair care products—"

Harry tuned it out carelessly again, not really tuning back in until Lockhart released the pixies. He couldn't help it— he started to laugh. "Pixies," he chocked out. "Pixies aren't even _Dark Creatures_! Calm down! They're only pixies!"

Lockhart didn't seem to hear what Harry said and cast, "_Peskipiksi Pesternomi_!" This just caused Harry to laugh more. A pixie took Lockhart's wand and threw it out the window. The bell rang and there was a mad rush to the exit. Thinking quick, Harry grabbed onto Hermione's hand and said, "C'mon," to the other two and they managed to get out of the room before Professor Ego asked them to round up the pixies.

* * *

Avoiding Lockhart wasn't quite as much of a task as it was the first time around. Because now Colin just saw him as a second year who just happens to be famous— Harry had managed to get to him before people talking about his accomplishments did this time around— an excessive amount of attention wasn't being thrown on Harry like before. Without the attention, the attention-seeker wasn't drawn to him like a bee to honey. He even ignored him in class (to Harry's knowledge, that is. He tended to sleep through DADA.)

Malfoy was being quite inconspicuous compared to last time. The first Gryffindor Quidditch Practice, for one, went without a problem. Malfoy didn't need to buy himself onto the team because he was already on, so the Slytherins had no excuse to take the pitch.

October came quickly and quietly, and before Harry knew it he was invited to Nick's Deathday Party. He didn't really want to go to the party, but he promised anyways— he liked being on Nick's good side.

At seven o'clock Halloween night, Harry, Hermione, and Neville (Ron had skipped out) walked right past the Great Hall and headed towards the dungeons instead.

"Where might you three be going?" and airy voice addressed them from behind. Hermione and Neville spun around sharply to come face-to-face with first-year Luna Lovegood. Harry's response was slower— Luna would never be able to do anything to shock him anymore— and he smiled at her friendlily.

"Hello Luna," he called her by name, even though he wasn't supposed to know it; Luna was the last person that would question somebody for being strange. "We're skipping the feast and going to Nearly Headless Nick's Deathday Party. Would you like to come?"

"Oh, that would be wonderful," Luna smiled. "Nobody ever invites me anywhere."

"I couldn't imagine why," Harry replied with a smile and without a hint of sarcasm. "Let's hurry; we don't want to be late."

The four walked down into the dungeons and entered the party. It was dreadful. "My dear friends," Nick said to them mournfully, "welcome, welcome… so pleased you could come… and who's this?" he was referring to Luna, obviously.

"I'm Luna Lovegood," she introduced herself. "I'm a Ravenclaw. Nice to meet you." She gave him a friendly smile as they walked into the room. All the castle ghosts were there. "Shall we have a look around?" Luna asked.

"Careful not to walk through anyone," Neville muttered to them nervously as they began to move.

Before they knew it, Luna had wandered off by herself and struck up a conversation with The Grey Lady. Neville and Hermione were sticking close to Harry, though.

"Oh no," Hermione stopped abruptly. "It's Moaning Myrtle. Turn back, turn back—" but her words fell on deaf ears.

"Hello Myrtle," Harry greeted her with a smile. He might as well be kind to Myrtle this time around, right?

Myrtle looked over to him questioningly. "Who're you," she said. "You're just hear to tease me, aren't you?"

Harry grinned, "Oh no, not at all. I just wanted to say _Hi_! I'm Harry Potter, nice to meet you!"

Myrtle looked at him with a slight acceptance, but the look was cut off by Neville exclaiming loudly, "She haunts a toilet? What kind of ghost haunts a toilet?" Myrtle sniffed.

"Guys, leave Moaning Myrtle alone," Harry ordered them. Myrtle gave him a sulky look. He probably said that a bit wrong.

Peeves zoomed over, "I heard them," he lied. "I heard them talking about you over there!" he pointed to the other side of the room. "They've been saying that you're _ugly_."

"Ugly?"

"And fat!"

"Fat?" Myrtle looked on the verge of tears. "They were making fun of me!"

Harry cut in, "No! No, we weren't! Peeves is lying!"

Myrtle glared at him now, "Don't think I don't know what people call me behind my back! Fat Myrtle! Ugly Myrtle! Miserable, moaning, moping Myrtle!"

"Spotty," the poltergeist added. "You forgot _spotty_." Myrtle fled, and Peeves gave chase, throwing mouldy peanuts at her.

"Well," Harry groaned. "That went well. C'mon, let's just go see Luna."

So Harry led the two away from the sates of the witnesses and towards Luna and The Grey Lady. When they reached them, Luna was talking about Wackspurts. "Hello Helena," he said, not caring that nobody knew her name.

"How do you know my name?" she questioned suspiciously.

Harry stuttered for a moment and Luna interrupted, "Helena? As in Helena _Ravenclaw_?"

"Yes, I was. But now I'm just the Grey Lady, watching over my mother's students for her, making sure they're fit to be Ravenclaws…"

Luna looked interested. "Were you as smart as your mum?"

She replied, "I wished that I could be more important than my mother… I wished I was cleverer… I don't think anybody was or ever will be smarter than my mother… what's yours like?"

Luna sighed, "I lost my mother when I was nine. She was an extraordinary witch, but one of her experimental spells went wrong and…" Helena smiled at her comfortingly.

"Enjoying yourselves?" Nick had came up to them and asked. Harry and Luna nodded enthusiastically— even though he dreaded it, it was quite interesting. Though he did wish for a proper alibi for Mrs. Norris's attacks, he was happy he came. Things with Myrtle could've gone better… then he remembered that Myrtle was the reason Mrs. Norris was petrified, not killed. Oops, he realized. When he tried to befriend Myrtle he almost caused the death of Filch's cat. For once in his life, Harry was thankful for Peeves.

"Not a bad turnout," Nick continued, "The Wailing Widow came all the way from Kent… It's nearly time for my speech, I'd better go warn the orchestra…" However, the orchestra stopped paying at that moment and every ghost turned to the Headless Hunt as they made their dramatic entrance.

"Nick," Sir Patrick roared, "how are you? Head still hanging in there?"

"Welcome Patrick," Nick said stiffly.

Sir Patrick looked to the four living beings, just spotting them. "Live 'uns!" he exclaimed, giving a jump of astonishment and his head fell off again. The crowd laughed.

"Very amusing," was the reply from the Gryffindor ghost. Harry began to back away. He didn't want to see Nick be made a fool of.

"Nick," he decided to interrupt the two, "the feast is probably ending now, so we should probably be leaving… is that okay?"

The ghost smiled kindly at him, "Yes, that's just fine, Harry, Neville, Hermione, and… Luna, was it?"

Luna nodded and the four waved goodbye as they left.

Neville took a couple deep breaths. "Thanks," he said. "I thought we'd be stuck in there until it was over when Nick came over…"

Harry shrugged, "It was nothing. If we hurry, there might still be pudding," he changed the subject.

"I would like some pudding, but look," she poked her head into the Great Hall as they arrived, "everybody's finishing."

_Rip… tear… kill…_

"Then let's go to the kitchens!" Hermione gave him one of her famous _'I can't believe you're going to do that, it'd probably against school rules'_ look "Are you in, Hermione?"

"No," she sniffed. "I'm just going to go to the Feast."

"_So hungry… for so long…_"

Harry shrugged and began to lead the other two to the kitchens. He reached the painting and explained to them, "You just tickle the pear and," the portrait swung open and revealed the Hogwarts kitchens, "voila!"

A couple nearby elves rushed over. "What can we get you?" they asked excitedly.

"Three puddings, one for each of us."

It was quick, just like Harry remembered. Within a minute, the three were eating their puddings, sitting in chairs. "Great, isn't it," he said in between spoonfuls.

"They're very helpful," Luna agreed.

When they finished their puddings they thanked the elves and left. The Gryffindors walked Luna to her common room (Harry let her lead the way) and then went off to their own.

When they entered they were bombarded by the rest of the house. "Where were you?" Percy scolded. "Mrs. Norris was petrified and nobody knows where you went!"

"We were at Nick's Deathday Party and then we got pudding from the kitchens… hardly a crime."


	9. Warp 1, Year 2, Part 3

I'm looking for a beta, if anybody is interested. If you don't want to make any long-term commitments, it's fine, you can quit whenever you want. All you need to do is be able to go through a chapter a week— I'm about two weeks ahead right now, so you'll have the whole week to do your thing— The only requirement is an ability to check for flow, plot, and characterization.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And---_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, nobody is going to die! (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

When there is a time skip it can be assumed that during that time something equivalent to canon is happening without major changes.

* * *

**Book 2, Chapter 9: The Writing on the Wall; Chapter 10: The Rough Bludger; Chapter 11: The Duelling Club**

**Warp 1, Year 2 (part 3), Chapter 8: Suspicions **

* * *

Harry really regretted giving the three Gryffindors a taste for adventure last year. Their adventure last year was completely pointless, and yet here they were, planning on meddling in things that weren't any of their business.

Granted that is sort of _was_ Ron's business, but they didn't really know _that_ yet. So far they'd interrogated Myrtle, been caught and scolded by Percy for lurking in and around the second-floor girl's bathroom, and managed to throw the blame onto Malfoy.

"Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?" said Luna sceptically as Ron, Hermione, and Neville explained their theory. "I can't really see that…" Luna had begun to hang around the four Gryffindors. None of the Ravenclaws really liked her, and everybody else in her year had already begun to call her _Loony_.

"Last year you thought it was Snape and look how that turned out," Harry supported Luna before she could spout any nonsense that Hermione wouldn't take seriously.

"I think it might be a Blithering Humdinger," Luna decided to give her own support anyways.

He looked over to Luna and then nodded slowly. "Right, a Blithering Humdinger— because that's not an oxymoron at all…"

"But how do we prove it?" questioned Ron.

"Obviously you look at the definitions of the words and— oh… are you even listening to anything Luna or I have been saying?"

"There might be a way," Hermione replied, also ignoring the two objections. "Of course, it would be difficult. And dangerous, very dangerous. We'd be breaking at least fifty school rules, I expect."

"Taking a book from the Restricted Section without permission, stealing some potions ingredients from Snape, brewing Polyjuice Potion, boys in the girl's bathroom, Polyjuicing ourselves, brewing a potion that can knock out students, drugging students, impersonation said drugged students, and entering another house's common rooms… am I missing anything? That's hardly fifty. And danger? I laugh in the face of danger! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

"How did you know what I was going to say?" Hermione questioned him with a weird look on her face.

Harry didn't tell her. "Why don't I just go ask Malfoy now?" without waiting for an answer he called across the hall, "Hey, Malfoy! Come over here a moment!"

"What is it, Potter?" he snapped loudly across the hall. "I'm not going over there."

"Well, these three idiots think you're the Heir of Slytherin…" Harry yelled back over the chatter, which was becoming quieter and quieter.

"Really?" Malfoy said with an amused tone. "And what provoked this? I am _twelve_,you realize? And I'd think a descendent of Slytherin would be a Parselmouth. I'm not a Parselmouth, Weasel, Granger, and Longbottom."

"Are there even any Parselmouths in the school?" Neville enquired.

"Yes," Malfoy replied instantly and gave a final, satisfied smirk at Harry. "Of course there'd have to be if somebody is the Heir of Slytherin! Right, Potter?" the way he said it was unnoticed by the onlookers, but the quintet caught what he was implying.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Thanks Malfoy, I really owe you one," he murmured.

"You're a Parselmouth?" Luna questioned absent-mindedly. He nodded.

"Why didn't you tell us you were a Parselmouth?" Ron almost yelled.

Harry rolled his eyes lazily. "Seriously, Ron. How often does the subject of talking to snakes come up in casual conversation? Now can we drop the subject before somebody else hears?"

"Of course we can, Harry. We wouldn't want anybody to think you're involved the Ministry's Parselmouth Experimentation in the Department of Mysteries."

"Yes," Hermione said with blatant sarcasm. "Heaven forbid somebody think_ that_ when they could think he was the Heir of Slytherin or something!" Harry had a feeling that Hermione didn't really like Luna...

"I still think it's Malfoy," Ron stated bluntly and Harry banged his head against the table.

"Yes, so do I. So, what teacher would sign a waver for a book in the restricted section…?"

"They'd have to be really thick—"

* * *

When Harry woke up in the morning the first thing that sprung to his mind was Dobby's Bludger. He shot out of bed. "Damn," he muttered. The match was today and he hadn't dealt with Dobby yet! The only thing that he'd asked Malfoy to stop was closing the barrier!

He dressed quickly and took off down the stairs, skipping every other step and eventually accidentally falling into a trick step. "Damn," he said loudly and hoisted himself back up. He brushed himself off and started to run again. When he reached the bottom he spotted Malfoy crossing the Entrance Hall. "Malfoy!" he called breathlessly.

The other time-traveller turned around instantly and raised his wand instinctively. Harry rolled his eyes and Malfoy shrugged as he lowered his wand. "What is it, Potter?"

"The bludger," he panted. "Remember the rouge bludger?"

"Yes I do, Potter. I have a _brain_ you know. I've already ordered Dobby to leave you alone in the most specific way possible."

"Oh," he was surprised. Malfoy usually didn't go out of his way for others. "Why?"

"That bludger came pretty close to hitting me too, you know. It'd be easier for me if I didn't have to deal with dodging a bludger that _keeps going back_ for you. Aren't you going to thank me? He'd probably have already placed the enchantment on it, Brainless Potter."

"Thanks," Harry said mockingly. "And I'll still win the match."

* * *

The party in the common room that night lasted until midnight when Percy decided he'd had enough and forced everybody to go to bed. They won the match by a landslide and Luna's roaring lion hat had made an early return.

On the subject of Luna, Harry wondered how she managed to return to the Ravenclaw Tower when she was kicked out of the Gryffindor tower at eleven-thirty— she was shoved out the minute that Percy realized she was there. "No Ravenclaws in the tower," he'd scolded her.

Harry had protested immediately, "But something attacked Mrs. Norris! What if it gets Luna! And it's already after curfew!" but Percy didn't listen. She was a pure-blood, but still, Harry worried about her quite a bit.

The rest of the quintet was conspiring against Malfoy in a corner the entire party. Harry decided that they needed to get lives outside of saving people.

Something was worrying Harry though, and he couldn't quite place his finger on it— that was, until he began to wonder where in the world Colin Creevy was. Apparently, fate did not like making things easy, and Colin was out an about even without Harry in the Hospital Wing, probably taking pictures of the castle at night. He hoped that Ginny—

He couldn't find Ginny! Not that he hadn't already planned for things to run their course, but still— while Colin was supposed to be petrified, Luna wasn't. He vowed that if the poor girl got caught by the loose snake because Harry asked her to come and celebrate with them he would not forgive himself for a long time.

He knew that this was definitely not the time for an attack on a Gryffindor, (or Luna, for that matter); Harry only just managed to catch the snitch from right out of Malfoy's reach. When Colin (and Luna?) is (are?) petrified that night, Hermione, Ron, and Neville would be sure to blame the Slytherin boy.

In the morning he was woken up by Ron and dragged into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. "Here's the thing," Ron explained seriously as the Gryffindors exited through the portrait hole, "You and Hermione are the top in our year! We can't brew the potion without you!"

"Yes," Harry insisted as he was pulled into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, "yes, you can! I don't want to be involved in another conspiracy against the people you have a problem with. What if I blamed everything on Lockhart?"

"Then all the power to you, mate."

Luna, who was already in the bathroom when they arrived, laughed. "But Lockhart is behind everything, Harry. Haven't you been reading the Quibbler's latest articles on it?"

Harry smiled happily at her. She had gotten back to her tower safely! Praise Merlin! "Of course I have!" He hadn't, really, and hoped that she'd mention something he could play along with. He made a mental note to stay caught up on what the Quibbler said for conversations with Luna.

"Yesterday Daddy wrote about how he's secretly behind the Rotfang Conspiracy."

Harry looked thoughtful. He remembered the Rotfang Conspiracy a little; the one with gum disease. "Yes, yes that would make perfect sense. It explains why his teeth are always so bright— he's been given immunity against gum disease." he conspired with a smile.

"Ghastly, isn't it?"

"Absolutely horrifying!"

"_Harry_," Hermione complained. "Can't you two just focus for once? Every time I turn around you're going on about things that don't exist!"

"Yeah," Neville and Ron both coursed their concurrence. Harry and Luna glanced at each other and rolled their eyes.

"I heard that Colin Creevy was petrified," Luna announced after a moment of silence.

"I think we should start that Polyjuice Potion," Hermione replied.

* * *

Ginny glued herself to the group in fear, much to Ron's annoyance. After a handful of angry arguments about Ginny's safety, her brother gave up. He just pretended that she wasn't there most of the time. She wouldn't say much— not in front of Harry, at least— so it was quite easy for the five to forget she was there. Harry wondered why she was doing it, but didn't last time, and came to the conclusion that Ginny thought it was all right because they had a first year friend.

The other first years stuck together though. They wouldn't talk to the older years because they felt sure that any one of them could be the attacker. They travelled in large groups, too, and between classes Ginny would linger on the edges of their packs.

"I heard that she's really not a muggleborn at all!" Ernie Macmillan told Hannah Abbot one day as Harry walked by.

"Really?" Hannah questioned.

"Yeah, she was just made to live with muggles because she's a danger to wizard society."

Rumours spread like wildfire and Hermione was widely avoided. Luna and Ginny were the only first years who went within twenty feet of her and Fred and George had taken to clearing the halls. "Make way for the Heir of Slytherin!" they called. "Seriously evil witch coming through!"

"But she has alibis!" Harry announced, standing on the Gryffindor table, to the school during dinner one December evening. "During the first attack we left her almost right in front of the Great Hall! And during the second she was with Neville and Ron in the Gryffindor tower!"

"But Slytherin's monster," one first year in Ravenclaw squeaked. "She was alone long enough to order it to attack somebody!"

"Maybe at the first attack," the second-year admitted, "but she didn't have time at the second one. There's more of a chance that Draco Malfoy is attacking people than Hermione Granger, and trust me, that's a pretty _tiny_ chance…"

This time a third year Gryffindor fought his point, "But I saw her leave to go to the loo at around the time that they guessed Colin was attacked!"

"And," a fourth year Ravenclaw added, "The chances of Draco Malfoy being the Heir of Slytherin are higher than you'd think. His grandfather was at Hogwarts fifty years ago when it was opened and that girl died, and they're an old pureblood family that's all been in Slytherin! And he hates muggle-borns!"

At this Malfoy stood up on his table and announced, "I am **not **the Heir of Slytherin! I'm twelve, remember? I wouldn't have it in me to set loose a deadly monster! Not for a couple more years, at least. There's more of a chance it's a fifth or sixth year than a second, be it Granger or I that you're accusing."

"Thank you Malfoy," Harry teased from across the hall. "Now take a bow— that was some astounding logic." Malfoy just stuck out his tongue and sat back down. Harry looked around. "You can also note that neither Hermione Granger nor Draco Malfoy can speak Parseltongue. I mean, you'd think that the Heir of Slytherin would speak it…"

"They're probably hiding it!" the first-year that spoke out first said. "It's not like they'd advertise that they're the Heir!"

Harry sighed after a moment of silence. "Who do we know hates all muggles and muggle-borns and was at the school fifty years ago? Hmm…I'll have to think about that one…" he stared at Dumbledore intensely. "Voldemort, you morons. Voldemort possessed Quirrell last year to steal the stone, has it not occurred to you that he might be possessing a student to open the Chamber?"

"But Voldemort—"

"—is the Heir of Slytherin. He's a Parselmouth. He hates all muggles and muggle-borns. He's a more logical choice than two random second years… of course, I can't verify that Malfoy isn't being possessed, but Hermione isn't."

"Right," the fourth-year Ravenclaw laughed. "Potter's just paranoid that Voldemort is out to get him. Now tell us, do you see anybody in a turban around here? No. _Nobody_ is possessed by Voldemort."

He didn't know how to respond. He'd already said too much— Ginny might get suspicious and stop writing in the diary. Of course, just being around her threatened to change too much. She might write in the diary less often… or even more often, you never know. He stepped down from the table and walked out of the Great Hall.

He stormed into the Entrance Hall. Seamus and Dean, who were late enough for diner that they missed the announcement, beckoned him over to the notice board. "They're starting a Duelling Club!" Seamus said excitedly. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind duelling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days…"

"Do you recon Slytherin's monster can duel?" Ron read the sign with interest and commented to the other six. The entire group had followed him out into the hall.

"Nahh," Harry laughed.

"Slytherin's monster is a snake," Luna said like everybody should know it. "It's a Venomous-Lapideus. Daddy wrote an article about them in The Quibbler the other day. They're tiny snakes that look like little stone statues up close, and their bite causes petrifaction."

"Somebody died last time," Hermione argued.

"It could be an allergic reaction to their venom. It's not uncommon."

"I don't think Slytherin would've used something that petrifies people— I think he'd aim for death every time… but I do think it's a snake," Harry informed the two. He hated turning down Luna's weird beliefs. He missed them since she'd met that guy and grounded out in the future.

"_That_," Hermione looked pointedly a Luna, "would be a perfectly reasonable assumption. Slytherin _was _a Parselmouth, after all."

"Could still be useful," Neville said on the subject of the duelling club.

At eight o'clock that night they hurried to the Great Hall. "I wonder who'll be teaching us," said Hermione as the edged into the crowd.

"Lockhart," Harry replied instantly, and as if on cue Lockhart waltzed onto the stage followed by Snape.

Harry didn't listen to Lockhart's speech, and only tuned into reality when Lockhart was blasted off his feet by the disarming spell. The Slytherins and Harry all cheered.

"Do you think he's all right?" Hermione squealed and a couple other girls said the same things to their friends.

"Who cares," the rest of the group except Ginny said together.

"I think Snape's a good duellist," Luna stated as Lockhart stood up.

"That was the Disarming spell—"

Harry once again tuned out the lesson. He knew how to duel and he didn't need a fraud to teach him again. The next thing he knew he found himself being paired off with Malfoy again. "Time to split up the Dream Team, I think," Snape sneered at them. The Dream Team… that had potential— he even liked it.

"Face your partners and bow!"

The time-travellers bowed at each other. "Same rules as last time," Malfoy muttered to him and they spread a bit further apart.

"Wands at the ready! When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponent— only to disarm them— we don't want any accidents. One… two… three…"

Harry was the first to cast a disarming spell. "Expelliarmus!"

Malfoy quickly jumped out of the way of the red light and cast back, "Expelliarmus!" he parroted.

Harry did the same thing he'd done and also kept a good hold on his wand. He cast back a jelly legs jinx and Malfoy immediately cast a finite. Harry carelessly cast levicorpus (silently, of course) and Snape's head snapped in their direction to see Malfoy dangling upside-down. This obviously brought back some bad memories because Snape cast the counter-curse and Malfoy fell down.

"Potter!" Malfoy complained as he rubbed his head. "Why'd you have to do _that_?"

"Mr. Potter, where might you have learned that spell?" Snape said venomously from right behind him.

"Uhhmm…" Harry stuttered and racked his brain for a good answer. "A… a book?"

"Is that a question?"

"No! I leaned it from a book…"

"Which book?" Snape inquired with a sneer. Harry guessed that Snape suspected him of thievery or something, because the only place to learn that was Snape's own textbook.

"Ahh…"

"Well?"

"I forget…"

"Detention, Mr. Potter. Tomorrow at seven." Snape stalked off.

"Dammit!" Harry cursed as Malfoy laughed at him. "I hate detentions!"


	10. Warp 1, Year 2, Part 4

Well... I just saw New Moon and it was terrible... so boring... nothing else much to say here except "Please review, thank you!"

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And---_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, nobody is going to die! (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

When there is a time skip it can be assumed that during that time something equivalent to canon is happening without major changes.

* * *

Thanks to _swanpride_ for being my plot beta!

* * *

**Book 2, Chapter 11: The Duelling Club; Chapter 12: The Polyjuice Potion**

**Warp 1, Year 2 (part 4), Chapter 9: Petrified**

* * *

Harry had planned to serve his detention in complete silence so he could concentrate on keeping any attempt any Legilimency at bay— he was terrible at Occlumency, but if he focused on things that happened since he went back in time it would work out fine.

This idea was scrapped though. Snape had assigned him to sort through Filch's old files on the Marauders and the teacher started a spiteful lecture. "You're just like your father," he spat.

Harry was playing the part of a twelve-year-old neglected boy who didn't know his parents; he couldn't _not _respond, "You knew my parents?" in an excited tone. As soon as the words were out of his mouth he made a plan. He'd be more curious about his mother than his father— it might not win Snape over, but it would probably cool his anger a bit.

"Yes, I knew your git of a father," Snape drawled. "He was an arrogant—"

Harry interrupted, "What about my mother?" he said excitedly. "Did you know her as well?"

"Yes, I knew Lily as well." He noticed the tone of voice— it was softer— and the usage of her first name. "But Potter," the Professor called James by his last name, "Potter was—"

So Harry cut in again, "No offence, Professor, but I'm more interested in my mum than my dad."

"You… mum…?" Obviously, Snape wasn't expecting this. "I would think," he spat out, "you would be interested in what your dear ole dad has done. You sure act enough like him. See all these files," he gestured to the files that Harry was working on, "those were all the work of your _can-do-no-wrong_ dad and his _perfect_ group of friends!"

Harry couldn't help himself, "You talk about them as if they'd tried to feed you to a _werewolf_ or something like that!" he blurted out. Snape glared at him and did not respond. "They didn't… try to feed you to a werewolf… did they?"

"In fifth year, they thought it would be funny," Snape stated dryly.

"_They did_? That's not funny at all, sir…you know, wizards are so weird…"

"And why do you say that?" he said with a scowl.

"Well, in a muggle school, if someone tried to feed another student to a wild animal they'd be expelled… Hogwarts is a death trap…"

"Yes," he said in a fake kind tone, "so you should get yourself out of here to save yourself… then I wouldn't have to deal with you anymore."

Harry sighed as he found another file on the Slytherin being harassed. "Sir," he said, "do you think I'm like my father because I did that spell on Malfoy? Because they've gotten into a lot of trouble for using it on… you, it seems, on multiple occasions…"

He snatched the paper away from Harry and replied, "You're as arrogant as your father, Potter. Get," his voice rose, "out," louder, "of" he was almost yelling now, "my sight!"

Knowing he had said something wrong, Harry rushed out of the room.

It was after curfew and he needed to get back to the tower. He rushed up the stairs as fast as he could and turned into the seventh floor corridor. He ran past Nearly Headless Nick, who was out for a stroll, and then right into the petrified body of Penelope Clearwater, holding a mirror and looking into it. Her hands were in her hair, and it could be assumed that she was primping herself. She was probably planning on meeting Percy here.

Harry yelled out in shock— an action that attracted Peeves. "Why it's Potty, wee Potter. What's Potter up to? Why's Potter lurking— ATTACK! ATTACK! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!" he screamed. The Gryffindors must've heard him, because the next thing Harry knew they were all pushing their way into the hall and surrounding him.

"_Oh Potter, you rotter, oh what have you done? You're killing off students, you think it's good fun!" _Peeves sang teasingly from above them.

The crowd broke out into whispers. Lavender and Parvati gave the poltergeist a strange look and spoke out above the rest. "What are you going on about, Peeves? _Everyone_ knows it's Hermione! She's been alone in our dormitory all night!"

Hermione whimpered from somewhere near the back of the mass. Harry couldn't see her face, but he could only imagine the look she might have. "She was upstairs! She couldn't have attacked somebody down here…" he shot at the girls.

"Obviously," Lavender scoffed, "she can control it from a distance. I heard from Hannah that Hermione is _really_ secretly the daughter of Voldemort," she whispered the last part to the other girl quite loudly. A fifth year beside them nodded in agreement.

People in the crowd began to move to make way for Hermione as she pushed her way to the other side of the mass and began to sprint out of the corridor and into the staircases, emitting muffled sobs. Harry glanced from the petrified Ravenclaw and to where his friend disappeared and knocked over a couple first years in his way and took off after her. "Ow," the first year said, "You didn't have to do that!"

He ran back into the staircases, and looked down to see the floor that she was at. "Hermione!" he called as he thundered down the stairs, carefully skipping the trick stair.

"Hermione," he called as she turned into the second floor. "Hermione!" He was worried. He didn't want her to run into the basilisk without any way of protection, after all, he didn't know if it was still loose or not. He didn't notice Ginny in the crowd, so there was a pretty big chance it was still out there.

He ran down the stairs like an elephant, trying to reach the girl as fast as he could.

He yelled her name again as he reached the second floor. "Hermione!" it was a panicked tone. He really hoped that she wasn't running for the Basilisk's lair— Myrtle's bathroom. He turned into it.

They were both petrified. Hermione was facing Myrtle, who was standing in front of the tap that didn't work, eyes on the spot she'd first seen the eyes with a look of terror. Hermione was pointing at it with a less frightened and more curious appearance than the other.

"Hermione!" he yelled out and grabbed the stiff body and began to shake it. The door swung open.

"Potter," McGonagall addressed him, but didn't give him a glance. Her eyes were on Hermione and Myrtle. "Potter, come with me."

She led Harry up into the Gryffindor Common Room. The portraits silenced as she passed and just watched. The Fat Lady swung open without a password and McGonagall stepped in to face the entire Gryffindor House. "Hermione Granger was petrified in the girls' loo on the second floor," she announced. "I hope you are all very proud of yourselves." She swooped out of the room like Snape always did.

Parvati and Lavender cowered. It can also be noted that by the end of the week they were complaining that their room felt too empty and boring without Hermione's presence.

The next morning at breakfast Dumbledore made a solemn announcement to the school. "— So you will all be accompanied by a teacher at_ all_ times. You will be in your common rooms whenever there are not lessons going on. Supervised library visits will be organized within the week. Your first period teacher will escort you to class in ten minutes."

"That's it, Ginny," Ron whispered to the girl three people down, sitting with first years, "I'll stop complaining about you sticking with us."

"You're an idiot," she whispered back. "I'll have to stick with the first-years now, and the rest of the time I'll be in the common room, where it's safe. I'm good." She gave him a sarcastic thumbs up and Ron sighed.

"Ginny, I'm worried about you."

"You don't have to be," she snapped back. "I'll don't need to follow you around anymore!"

"What about the Polyjuice Potion?" Luna replied, "We've got enough brewing for you to come too. I liked not being the only first year in our group."

Harry wondered what was wrong with Ginny and concluded that the Horcrux was affecting her. He didn't want anybody to be suspicious of her, so he voiced an agreement, "Let her. She'll be safe and sound. I'm more worried about you," he looked at Luna. "Are you going to be okay with the first years all day?"

"I'll be just fine, Harry," replied Luna.

"It's you, Potter!" Zacharias Smith yelled across the hall. "I knew it wasn't Granger! You were found with both the bodies!"

"If I recall," Harry stood up, "you were one of the people starting the rumours about Hermione… idiot. And what've I done besides find one body and go running after my crying friend? And I have alibis!"

"You could've ordered in advanced!"

"Then what provoked you to blame Hermione?"

Zacharias didn't know how to answer this.

"Now that we've figured that it's not me or Hermione petrifying people, can we please just eat out breakfast?" he finished and sat down. "Merlin," he mumbled to the Dream Team, "I can't believe those Hufflepuffs."

"It's just Zacharias, I think, Ernie and Hannah were just following along," Neville defended them. "The sorting hat thought I'd do good in Hufflepuff before it decided to put me into Gryffindor…" he admitted.

The teachers began to stand and the students all crowded around them quietly as they exited the Great Hall.

"Mr Potter," McGonagall said to him when his group joined up with her to go to Transfiguration, "Professor Dumbledore would like to see you. Please go up to the staff table and he'll take you to his office."

"But I just said I didn't do it!" Harry cried out, pretending to be concerned. He was concerned, but not about that. He was worried that Dumbledore would use Legilimency; Harry knew nothing about Occlumency besides what Snape taught him fifth year.

He decided that he was going to just think that he had nothing to say, let his thoughts stray to Hermione, and the Polyjuice Potion in Myrtle's bathroom.

He walked over to Dumbledore in the nearly-empty hall. Only a couple of NEWT students who had spares remained. "Any professor without a class will supervise students with a spare in the Great Hall during the day. Your second period teachers will pick you up out of the Great Hall. Harry, come with me."

Dumbledore led him to the familiar stone gargoyle and led him up the stairs. Harry sat down casually in a chair and sunk down low. He remembered how uptight he was about being in Dumbledore's office last time and realized how silly he was. Harry was extremely comfortable in Dumbledore's office now— he knew he wasn't going to be expelled and he'd been in it about a hundred or so times, dozens of times alone. After the final battle Harry had visited McGonagall in her office many times, not just to visit her but to visit Dumbledore and Snape's portraits too. He'd sometimes help her with her duties she could no longer perform alone; those stunners in fifth year were catching up on her.

Fawkes looked over to him and cocked his head to the side. "Hello," Harry said to him. This happened a bit earlier than last time, so Fawkes was healthy.

"That would be Fawkes, Harry. He's a phoenix—"

"Why am I here?" Harry cut to the point. He didn't need a lecture on the nature of the phoenix. He just wanted to finish this as soon as possible.

"I must ask you Harry, is there anything you want to tell me? Anything at all?"

Harry didn't think about anything important. He thought about Hermione and the Polyjuice Potion and said, "Nothing at all, sir."

"Are you sure, Harry? Because Professor Snape retrieved a very _illegal _potion out of the bathroom Miss. Granger was found in and suspects it was made by you and your friends," said Dumbledore.

"Uhh… yeah… can we have that back? We have plans for that… don't worry, we won't be impersonating any teachers or anything…" Why would he have Polyjuice Potion besides sneaking into the Slytherin Common Room? "We were planning a prank with it to throw Fred and George out of the water, see… do you think we could…?"

The headmaster looked thoughtful for a moment before saying, "Harry, Harry, what kind of headmaster would I be if I returned an illegal potion to students?"

"A… a very loved one, sir…"

"Well, I better escort you to your class. You have Transfiguration next, correct?"

"Yes sir." Harry's tone was extremely disappointed, though he wasn't really disappointed at all. He was relieved that he wouldn't have to go through with drinking Goyle.

* * *

"You guys are extremely unlucky," Harry muttered to them. "They found the potion when they found Hermione."

"What!" Ron cried out. "But what about Malfoy!"

"I've told you, it's not him! But I did try to get it back for you and failed, so let's just drop it. I probably couldn't have finished it without Hermione anyways…"

"Harry! You and Hermione are the best in our year. You could've done it."

"The Polyjuice is extremely complicated and advanced, Ron. I'm just good at Potions right now because it's all easy stuff. Let OWLs come around and watch me fail to get into NEWT level potions, what with Snape's 'You have to get an O to get in' attitude…"

The list of people leaving over the holidays grew quickly after the attack—the unease had turned into panic— even all the Slytherins except Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were leaving. "It doesn't even matter," Ron mumbled when they checked the list. "I can't believe we lost it!"

The response to this was simply, "Shut up, Ron."

Luna took to sleeping in Hermione's bed. She would meet up with them at diner and after it she'd stay in the common room. Even Percy stopped objecting when she reminded him about the Quidditch Party incident. He shut up after that. "Miss. Lovegood," he said eventually, though, "why can you not just go to your common room after diner?" Harry just took Luna by the hand and led her away.

"Stupid Percy, doesn't understand…" he muttered.

Neville went home for Christmas and Luna slept the holidays in his bed instead of Hermione's. Nobody was allowed to wander alone, and there were more teachers than students.

"I really don't think it's Malfoy, Ron," Luna said to the redhead in the common room Christmas evening. "Harry's Voldemort idea sounds plausible…"

"You believe anything that's shot down by everybody else!" Ron argued. "Give me a good reason to think it's not Malfoy!"

Harry replied plainly, "He's twelve years old." He looked to the common room door and sighed. "You know, I think I might go to the library and look up snakes that kill people… probably without biting them— there's not venom in their systems that we know of."

"The Venomous Lapideus doesn't leave any traces of venom or bite mark, Harry."

"Luna, can you drop that for one moment," Ron snapped. "Hermione's been petrified! You're a Ravenclaw! Help Harry! I'll cover for you two."

As they left the portrait hole under the cloak Harry comforted Luna. "It's okay, he doesn't understand. But I do doubt that's what it is. Slytherin's monster has been around for centuries, so I think it would be a very old species. These are new ones that haven't been discovered yet that The Quibbler writes about."

This brightened up Luna a little as they unlocked the closed door to the library. "So," Harry said as he passed Luna _World's Deadliest Snakes_ and took _Dark Creatures Revealed_ for himself, "What kind of clues do we have?"

"It's at least a thousand years old. It's a snake. It petrifies and kills people," Luna listed.

"I think," Harry threw out, hoping she'd buy it, "that it might have something to do with looking at it. That Ravenclaw had a mirror in her hand and was looking right in that. Colin was looking into his camera, Hermione… Hermione saw it through Myrtle… and there was water on the floor when Mrs. Norris was petrified…"

Luna mused, "Maybe, maybe…"

"A basilisk?" Harry found the page he was looking for. "I think I have it. A basilisk kills just by looking it in the eye… I expect that nobody has seen it in the eye yet… except that girl fifty years ago…"

"And Myrtle couldn't die again!" Luna was getting excited as she found her own page on the basilisk. "It lives an exceptionally long time, which fits too."

"And King of Serpents! That would fit Slytherin's ego!"

"Spiders flee before it…"

"I haven't seen a spider since this thing started."

"The crowing of a rooster is fatal—"

"Hagrid's roosters have been all killed."

"The Heir obviously doesn't want the basilisk to die…but how would it be getting through the castle?"

"I dunno. Pipes, maybe?"

"Should we just take these books back to the common room?"

"Yeah," Harry looked around shiftily. He wished that Ginny hadn't been so influenced by the Horcrux, because he had looked forward to knowing when she was probably writing.

Harry threw the cloak back onto them and the two crept out of the library and heard something move behind them. Instinctively, they turned around to see what it was.

They caught a pair of great big yellow eyes through the cloth and they knew no more.


	11. Warp 1, Year 2, Part 5

Wow? Chapter 10 already? Review Please!

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And---_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, nobody is going to die! (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

When there is a time skip it can be assumed that during that time something equivalent to canon is happening without major changes.

* * *

Thanks to _swanpride_ for being my plot beta!

* * *

**Book 2, Chapter 16: The Chamber of Secrets; Chapter 17: The Heir of Slytherin**

**Warp 1, Year 2(part 5), Chapter 10: The Chamber of Secrets**

* * *

The first thing Harry knew was a light. It was a blinding light, so bright that he had to shut his eyes again. What had happened to him?

Last thing he remembered was… what was the last thing he remembered? He knew who he was and everything— he was Harry Potter, Boy-Who-Lived, the Chosen One, Formerly Undesirable Number One, Auror, Warlock, Order of Merlin (First Class), Junior Member of the Wizengamot, and eight -time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award. Every memory seemed so distant and far away, as if a lot of time has passed.

He remembered everything— he thought so at least— but he couldn't quite place which memory was the most recent. "What happened?" he asked groggily, opening his eyes yet again to the face of Madam Pomfrey and the deceased Professor Dumbledore. "Am I dead?"

"No, Harry, you're not dead. You were petrified—" it came back to him. He'd gone back it time and it was his second year. His mind was so jumbled that it couldn't sort out the time-travel memories and stuck them with the ones of the first time through.

"Oh… what about Luna," he remembered that Luna was with him, but he couldn't recall if she'd turned with him or not.

"She's just waking up too," Madam Pomfrey comforted him. There was a groaning sound from the bed next to him.

"What happened? Who else was petrified? Did anybody die? What's going to happen? What about exams—"

"The school is closing," Dumbledore said solemnly. "I just returned myself to sort things out. I was expelled, you see… A student was taken down into the Chamber."

On either side of him, his two girls shot up. "What!" they both exclaimed. "Who?"

"Your friend's sister, Ginny Weasley."

Harry stood up, his legs felt stiff. "I'd just figured it out when we were petrified! C'mon, you two!"

"You solved it?" said Hermione, impressed. "How long after me were you petrified?"

"A couple days, I think… it's all fuzzy."

"Yes," Luna agreed, "for me too. Should we grab a mirror?"

"What?" Hermione wasn't quite caught up. "Why?"

"It's a basilisk. If you see it straight on, you'll die… but indirectly it'll petrify you."

Dumbledore smiled, "I'll have to inform everybody of that, then. I could write a book. I'm sure I'll have time without Hogwarts," there was a sad tone in his voice. Albus loved Hogwarts.

"The entrance should be in the bathroom you were petrified in, Hermione, probably at the sink you were facing. It doesn't work, you know. Dumbledore, can I have Fawkes? I mean, just in case somebody gets bitten by it…"

"I'm not sure I should let you three go down there. Fresh from petrifaction—"

Harry protested, "But I have a plan! Nobody will die. We'll each grab a mirror and close our eyes at the slightest movement! What about Ginny? How long has she been down there?"

"Only about two or three hours, I assure you."

"C'mon, we're going! We don't need approval!" the time-traveller grabbed the girls' hands and pulled them off their beds. Dumbledore grabbed their shoulders before they could take off.

"Now, now, you three— be reasonable—"

"Ginny's stuck in the Chamber and you're telling us to be _reasonable_?" Harry yelled. He pulled out his wand. "I'm sorry, Professor, but I have to do this. _Petrificus Totalus!_" and their Headmaster fell down with a look of shock on his face.

The three took off, into the corridors and then down the stairs.

The castle was completely silent outside of the Hospital Wing. The portraits were all silent and many friends were huddled in each other's portraits, worried that they'd be taken to different places if the school was closed. Many had been together for centuries, after all. There were owls swooping around, making no noise as they went from one common room to another to deliver messages to acquaintances in different houses. The only sound was three sets of feet thundering down the sets of stairs. For some reason all the stairs were completely still, Harry couldn't spot a single wall pretending to be a door, and he stepped on a trick stair and didn't fall through.

Hermione whimpered, and the sound echoed in the giant stairway.

They opened the door to the second floor corridor and it was just as deserted and lifeless as the stairway. Harry didn't know why, but they crept like they weren't supposed to be there. They cracked open the door to the bathroom and slipped it.

"Okay, this is the sink you saw the eyes," Harry reasoned quietly, feeling around the tap for the stone snake. He found it and hissed, _"Open_._"_

And it opened. It was louder than Harry remembered, but the castle was much quieter.

"So," Harry looked at the girls, "should I go first?"

Hermione and Luna looked down into the dark tunnel and nodded. Harry gave them reassuring looks and slid down. "All clear!" he yelled, not sure if they'd hear him or not. "Come on! Hurry down," his voice lowered, "Merlin, I'm under the lake... they can't hear me," he said to himself. "_Snorus_. All clear!"

He heard a scream. It sounded like Hermione, so he took it upon himself to stand up and catch her as she came flying down. They both fell over.

"Thanks," Hermione mumbled.

"Luna!" Harry called up, not yet having removed the Snorus charm yet. "C'mon, your turn!" and Harry caught her too when she reached the bottom, but this time carefully shifted his weight so he wouldn't be knocked down. He cast the counter charm, and then, "Lumos."

"Remember— any sign of movement, close your eyes straight away." He began to walk and a crunching sound echoed after each step.

"Harry," Luna gasped at the snakes skin a distance down the tunnel.

"There's something up there," said Hermione hoarsely and she grabbed Harry's shoulder. Luna shut her eyes tightly.

Harry knew it was a skin, so he bravely wandered ahead of them to announce, "It's only a skin!"

Luna opened her eyes and Hermione grabbed her hand tightly as they approached it. "Wow," she said weakly.

"Let's go then."

The winding tunnel felt like it lasted forever, but Harry wasn't confident that Ginny was even alive. He didn't know when exactly she was taken down this time.

Harry stared at the door nervously and then looked to his companions. "Are we ready for whatever is in there?" he questioned them as he pulled out a mirror. "Do I have a sacrifice to check if it's moving about in there?" Hermione took the mirror without a word. "Okay, Luna, close your eyes. Hermione, don't you dare look away from the mirror. _Open_."

After a couple of moments she announced, "It's safe," and Harry opened his eyes and ran over to Ginny's body laying on the other side of the Chamber with the girls hot on his heels.

"Ginny! Wake up! Please don't be dead! Wake up!" Luna cried and began to shake her body.

Harry sighed. "She won't wake," he said softly and his head shot over to the nearest pillar, where a ghostly figured was leaning carelessly, "will she, Riddle?"

"She's still alive," the Voldemort Horcrux assured them, "but only just."

Hermione looked from Harry to Tom Riddle and then back to Harry. "You know him?" she said, obviously not yet seeing that Tom Riddle was barely even a ghost, let alone alive.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle," he said like it explained everything.

"What?"

"A memory preserved in a diary for over fifty years— a memory of Voldemort when he was sixteen," Harry explained quickly.

Riddle sighed. "Must you steal all of my thunder, _Harry Potter_? I've been _dying _to meet you. It's been very boring, listening to the troubles of an eleven year old girl, but I was patient, I was kind. Ginny _loved _me—"

"Yes," Harry interrupted impatiently, "you've always been able to charm the people you need to. Then you forced Ginny to open the Chamber of Secrets. Can we move along now? We should be getting back up there before they do anything irreversible or stupid."

"She wasn't suspicious of me for the longest time, you know. She's such a _naïve _child!" he laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world. "And then her diary entries became so much more interesting. _Dear Tom,_" he mocked, "_I can't remember anything I did yesterday, but a girl was petrified… I think maybe I'm the one attacking people!_" he laughed again. "Not once did she stop trusting her diary!"

Harry sighed, "And you were interested in how a child defeated Lord Voldemort, I get it. Can you quit trying to buy time?"

Riddle scoffed. "You're in no position to be making requests, _Harry Potter_. I could kill you at any moment."

"You don't have a wand."

"I have a _basilisk_. I'm trying to finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work. First the mudbloods, then the blood traitors—"

"And then that little girl that stole your lollipop when you were a six, I _understand_, let's get on with it."

"—I've even driven dear old Dumbledore out of the school— the mere memory of me has driven the so-called greatest sorcerer—"

Harry knew that that line was a bit early, but he couldn't help what Riddle said. He didn't get an opportunity like this at every moment. "Dumbledore's was— _is,_" he corrected himself, "a better wizard than you'll ever be. A better man. He's not as gone as you might think."

Riddle opened his mouth to respond but closed it. Music was coming from somewhere— Fawkes had arrived with the sorting hat.

"That's a phoenix," Riddle said pointedly. "And that is the school sorting hat."

Harry raised his eyebrows at him, "_No_," he replied sarcastically. "I thought it was a duck bringing me a baseball cap!"

Riddle began to laugh— not at Harry's joke, though. "That's what Dumbledore sends his defender! A songbird and an old hat! Do you feel brave, Harry Potter, do you feel safe now?"

Luna poked the hat absently and Harry pulled it away and placed it on his head.

"So, tell me, Harry Potter, how did you survive my killing curse?"

"I don't know— nobody knows. You know, I hate stalling my death. And before you decide explain it, I am aware that you became the Lord of Bad Anagrams by rearranging the letters in your name to make _I am Lord Voldemort_."

"Oh, then how about we teach you a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir to Salazar Slytherin, against the famous Harry Potter, two little girls, and the best weapons Dumbledore can give them." He cast an amused eye at Harry's friends and to the hat on top of Harry's head.

"_Speak to me Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts four!"_

Harry grinned. "_Egotistical much,_" Harry hissed back and Riddle gave him a shocked look.

"_You're a Parselmouth?_"

"_No—" _Harry replied sarcastically and his friends gave him weird looks. Apparently, Parselmouth wasn't made for sarcasm. Who'd've though? There was movement from the mouth of the giant statue. "Shut your eyes!" Harry yelled to the others and shut his own.

"_Kill them_," Riddle hissed and Harry moved slowly over to the others and wondered how long before Fawkes could blind it.

Harry didn't dare take a look at what was happening.

"_No! Leave the bird! Leave the bird! The boy is right in front of you! You can still smell him!"_

Harry opened his eyes at that cue to see the basilisk's eyes were missing. "Okay guys, it's safe to open your eyes…" and then they did. Cue the girls' screams. Harry grabbed their hand and the dragged them away from the spot they'd been standing as the basilisk's head snapped and focused on that spot. He, Luna and Hermione crawled over into a corner and he pressed his figure to his mouth, motioning for them to be silent.

Harry moved away from the girls and began to think hardly, _Help me! Help me!_ The sword banged against his head. He took off the hat and grabbed it. "_Over here,_" he hissed to the basilisk approaching on a whimpering Luna. "_Come on over here, now_."

The basilisk lunged at him and Harry raised the sword in both hands, ready for the seething bite he knew would come next. The basilisk's aim was true, and Harry threw his weight into the sword and drove it into the roof of the serpent's mouth. He felt the blinding pain on the venom and fell back, pulling the fang out.

Hermione was so stiff that Harry could've believed she was still petrified and Luna was whimpering.

She crawled over to Harry and he saw she had tears in her eyes. "Basilisk… venom… it's deadly," she sobbed. Hermione was hovering over Ginny. Harry ran his fingers comfortingly through Luna's hair as everything began to fall out of focus. Fawkes swooped down and began to cry too. Harry smiled to the bird.

"She's right, Harry Potter. You're dead. Even Dumbledore's bird knows. It's crying."

Harry snorted, "You're stupid, Riddle. Phoenix tears have healing powers." He was beginning to feel better. The world began to come back into focus and Luna hugged him tightly.

Fawkes left him and brought the diary back to him. Harry nodded thanks to him, grabbed the basilisk fang tight in his fist, looked at Riddle and plunged it angrily into the dairy. Riddle began to wither and twist and he shrieked in pain.

And he disappeared.

It wasn't the most emotionally scaring thing he'd ever gone though, but it sure was for Luna, who daren't let him go. Harry let her sob into his chest and Ginny woke up and began to sob into Hermione's comforting shoulder. The two second years sat there, comforting the two eleven year olds. Tears began to fall down Hermione's cheeks. They didn't know how long they were on the floor, all three girls crying. It could've been seconds, or it could have been minutes or hours, or even several days before they calmed down.

"I thought we'd loose you," Hermione cried out. Luna nodded and Ginny let out another chocked sob.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys…" said Ginny when she finally had her breath back, looking ashamed to the floor.

"It's okay," Harry yawned. "What time is it?" Everybody else shrugged and Harry approached the basilisk corpse. He grabbed a fang and began to yank.

"What are you doing?" the bookworm asked.

He shrugged, "You never know when a basilisk fang will come in handy— don't tell Dumbledore, but I'm going to take at least three." He pulled out his wand and charmed them off and scooped them into his inner pockets. "And don't tell Dumbledore that I'm a Parselmouth either." They nodded absently, probably not really taking in what they were agreeing to, but Harry hoped that they wouldn't' say anything anyways.

Luna looked around. "How are we supposed to get out?"

* * *

"You freed that House-elf?" Ron exclaimed to Harry incredulously at the midnight feast. The school was alive as soon as the portraits saw Ginny Weasley pulled wearily out of the bathroom and spread it around. Everything came to life as it realized that the school wasn't going to close.

Harry couldn't compare this feast to the one last time when Ginny was pulled out of the Chamber. Everybody applauded him as he walked in with Hermione and Luna, there were _woots_ and thanks from the Weasleys, and congratulations from everybody else for figuring out it was Voldemort early on.

Even greater cheers were given from the students when Ginny Weasley walked it a half hour after the portion of the Dream Team who had been petridied did; everybody sympathising for the small girl. The youngest Weasley blushed a bright red and sat down at the Gryffindor table as close to Harry as she possibly could. Harry habitually took her hand to comfort her. This made her blush more.

"Lockhart is dead," Neville announced. "He was killed by the Monster."

"Oh," Harry gasped, "Thank Merlin! But was anybody else killed?" Heads around him shook their response.

Hermione smacked him on the back on the head, "Harry," she scolded. "That's two teachers that were killed by Voldemort in two years!"

"So?" the boys all asked at once.

Both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw were awarded mega amounts of points when Dumbledore finally walked in— he had been dealing with the Ministry— and Gryffindor won the House Cup. McGonagall announced that exams were cancelled, ("Oh no!" said Hermione), and Hagrid turned up at half-past-three, fresh out of Azkaban, and Harry passed him some chocolate.

At around four in the morning, Malfoy dragged Harry away from his friends, startling Ginny awake— she'd been sleeping on Harry's shoulder.

"It got me too, you know," Malfoy said to him as the Slytherin led him to his own table. "I was walking around the school alone, and I was too confident because I was pureblood and I knew what was around… but I still checked with mirrors, just in case… and it got me…"

"I see it was traumatic," Harry said with sarcasm.

Malfoy was serious though. "Very. You were petrified! I'm sure it was the same for you… to just wake up months later, forgetting about travelling back in time… I really thought I died… the entire point of this is that I want to tell you that you're not half bad, Potter. I'm sure you can save your friends from their impending doom."

"You know what, Malfoy," Harry replied, "you're not half bad either… will you help me, then?"

Malfoy shook his head. "I will do what is expected of me. If you can stop my dad from being arrested, it'll stop my initiation into the Death Eaters."

Harry walked away from him without a word, pondering. He sat back down with the Dream Team, "What was that all about?" asked Ron while Ginny snuggled back up to him and dozed off. The time-traveller shrugged.

"So…" Harry realized something was wrong with the timing at that moment. Hadn't the students been un-petrified at around midnight, when Ginny had been in the Chamber long enough to have died? "What's the date?" he asked.

"It's May 15th," Ron replied.

"What? I thought it would take until June for the Mandrakes to be ready…"

"When Malfoy was petrified his father funded some fully-grown ones. Bloody spoiled—"

Harry cut off Ron, "I'm thankful. If he hadn't, then Ginny would probably be dead."

"I don't think so," Ginny said sleepily. Obviously, she wasn't as asleep as Harry thought she was. "Tom probably was provoked into kidnapping me by the Mandrake Draught being ready. I remember telling him that and then… nothing…"

"Ginny, Ginny," Harry scolded her, "why didn't you chuck that thing? Weren't you suspicious?"

"I was," the girl said, "and I did… but one of the other girls found it and I saw it… and I thought Tom would tell them all my secrets…" Harry rubbed her back comfortingly.

The feast lasted until morning. "Well," Harry said as they all went up to bed, "that was an adventure."


	12. Warp 1, Year 3, Part 1

And here's Chapter 11! Year three begins. This chapter is pretty short, only just three thousand words... forgive me for that.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And---_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, nobody is going to die! (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

When there is a time skip it can be assumed that during that time something equivalent to canon is happening without major changes.

* * *

Thanks to _swanpride_ for being my plot beta

* * *

**Book 3, Chapter 2; Aunt Marge's Big Mistake Chapter 3: The Knight Bus; Chapter 4: The Leaky Cauldron.**

**Warp 1, Year 3 (part 1), Chapter 11: Summertime**

* * *

"… the public is warned that Black is armed and extremely dangerous…"

Harry smiled at the picture of Sirius on the television. There was something special about seeing his godfather again after all this time and knowing that he was alive and free.

What was even more exhilarating was the fact that Harry knew Sirius would be somewhere near Privet Drive within the next week.

He considered the options on this— tell Sirius about his time travel when he finds him, let it all fall into place exactly like before, he didn't want to blow up Marge this time so he could try and get Sirius to hang around Privet Drive a bit longer… maybe take in the stray dog?

"No need to tell us _he's_ no good. Just look at the state of him! Look at his hair!"

"Hey!" Harry couldn't help but say, "I know that face from somewhere! Sirius Black…" he pretended to ponder and Vernon gave him an incredulous look. "It really sounds familiar… where have I seen it?"

Petunia looked to the picture carefully and then back to Harry. "I'm sure you've just seen a program with him on it or something—"

"No," Harry replied quickly. His aunt's response amused him— she obviously recognized his dad's best friend. "I'm sure I've seen a picture of him in the photo album I got for Christmas in first year…"

Petunia cringed, but didn't respond.

"Yeah, he looks like my dad's best friend… my godfather…"

Vernon sneered, "You're godfather?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah. I'm pretty sure…"

"He'd one of your lot, then," his uncle said with a look of distaste and he flicked off the television. "There'll be no funny business when Marge gets here, boy. I don't want another word from you about this _Godfather_ of yours."

"Yes, Uncle Vernon," replied Harry.

"I'll be off then," the man continued, "her train arrives at ten."

As Vernon left, Harry turned to his aunt. "Third years are allowed to visit a nearby village, Aunt Petunia. Could you please sign my permission form?"

Petunia looked at the paper that Harry pulled out and picked up a pen, "Yes, yes," she said hurriedly, "I remember. Lily always loved it… Don't you mention this to Vernon," she scribbled her name down on the sheet.

He smiled, "Thanks Aunt Petunia!"

"I'm only doing this so you don't say anything to Marge," the woman defended her act of kindness. "Keep a civil tongue around your Aunt. We've told her that you go to St. Brutus's Center for Incurably Criminal Boys."

"And you expect me to follow that story to a T, right." The statement was rhetorical and Petunia understood that. She didn't say anything more.

Life at Privet Drive had been extremely routine that summer. Harry responded to everything politely and tried to please like he'd done last year and the year before that. He didn't want to have to deal with Marge, but it was required. He knew they'd already told the neighbourhood he went to St. Brutus's two years ago, so it didn't anger him as much as it did last time.

He walked up the stairs and said to Hedwig, "Sorry girl, but you'll have to go to the Weasleys with Errol. Don't look at me like that—" she was giving him looks like he was rejecting her, "it's not my fault! Marge is a terrible person, and things'll be so much better if I'm acting like I'm not a wizard. Love you," he kissed the top of her head lightly and smiled.

He spent most of the next couple days in his room. Marge was awful, as usual, and Harry took her insults without a thought. He'd heard worse— at one point a thousand people or so thought he was a lying schizophrenic, after all— so things were quite peaceful.

Finally, the last evening came and he hadn't let anything slip. "A no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scoundrel who—" Marge criticized. Harry felt anger build up needlessly and he tried to stay calm. He didn't like people insulting his parents, he really didn't. Then he remembered Sirius.

Sirius should be in Magnolia Crescent tonight! Harry put down the utensils in his hands and stood up. "Excuse me, Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, I'm finished eating. Do you mind if I go for a quick walk?"

Vernon, realizing the direction this evening might go in if Harry stayed around much longer while Marge went at his parents by the look on his face. "Do what you please," the large man said.

He couldn't have reached the door fast enough. Once he was out, though, he slowed down. He couldn't be sure about the time he'd seen Sirius last time, so he took his time walking to the nearby park.

When he reached the park on Magnolia Crescent, he wasn't surprised to see a large dog in the bushes. Harry bent down excitedly, "Here, doggy," he called carefully. "Hello doggy." The large black dog walked cautiously out of his hiding place and moved closer and Harry was sure it was Sirius. "C'mere doggy, I'm not going to hurt you," he cooed. The dog moved even closer and closer until it was close enough to sniff his outstretched hand. "That's a good boy," he patted Sirius's head. "Good doggy."

Sirius lay down in front of him and Harry smiled and began to pet him. "Do you have a family, doggy?" he asked and Sirius looked up and cocked his head to the side. "I wish I had a family," Harry went on and looked up to the stars, trying hard to convince his Godfather to stay with him instead of just starting his trek to Hogwarts. "My parents are dead, my Aunt and Uncle and cousin _hate_ me… I've got no friends on Privet Drive either. I'll just be," he closed his eyes and turned his head back Sirius, "alone," he opened his eyes.

Sirius licked his face and Harry laughed, "Yeah, thanks doggy. Would you like to be my friend?" Sirius responded by licking his face again. Harry almost danced; he was so excited that he'd have his godfather back. "You sure?" the dog nodded. Harry smiled. "All aboard the crazy train!" he joked, stood up, and began to walk out of the alley. Sirius watched him and Harry grinned to him, "Are you coming, doggy?" and Sirius bounded after him.

When the two of them reached Number Four, Harry pressed his finger to his mouth and tip-toed up the stairs to his room. Sirius crept behind him, low to the ground. They reached his room and Harry explained, "I don't think my relatives would approve of me having a dog… so would it be possible for you to stay in here? I can get you out a couple times a day for a walk…" The animagus nodded understandingly.

Harry didn't know how he managed it, but he managed to keep the Dursleys in the dark of their extra houseguest. He ate less at meals than before and smuggled food upstairs for Sirius. "Here you go, boy," Harry would say affectionately as he provided the real food to the man who will (did?) eat (ate?) rats for him. When Sirius had to go, Harry would drop his cloak over him and bring him to the park.

He really didn't know what Sirius thought about anything Harry did. He wouldn't treat a real dog like he did the animagus, so he was sure that his godfather was suspicious of something. It was times like these he wished to be a Legilimens.

Finally, the last week of summer arrived and Harry and Sirius crept out of the house in the dead of night with Harry's things to sneak off. They walked to the road and Harry stuck out his wand.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for a stranded witch or wizard. Just stick your wand hand—"

"Stan, I don't need a speech. Diagon Alley."

"Do I know you?" Stan replied, giving him curious looks.

Harry shrugged as he and Sirius climbed onboard. "Who doesn't?" he inquired. "I'm Harry Potter."

"Are you really?"

Harry didn't acknowledge the question he heard every time he turned around. He repeated, "Diagon Alley, Stan," and took a seat, knowingly taking hold of a bar. Sirius looked nervous at the thought of travelling on it without thumbs. The time-traveller couldn't help but laugh at the look on his face.

The bus took off and Sirius was thrown across it.

Harry was so used to this form of travel that he could've snoozed while he waited for them to stop at his stop, but that would be suspicious to Sirius, so he didn't. He watched as Stan pulled out his newspaper and Harry said, "What do you think?"

"O' Black?"

"Yeah. I don't know what to think… you know, he never got a trial…"

Sirius, who'd finally crawled back, whimpered. Harry patted his head as Ernie took a turn and Sirius was gone again.

"Really?" the conductor inquired. "Scary-lookin' fing, inee?"

"I don't think he murdered those thirteen people though…" Sirius had returned to hear this statement, but was thrown away again before he could make any sounds.

"There were witnesses an' all. Broad daylight. Big troubles it caused, dinnit, Ernie?"

"Ar," Ernie replied darkly. Harry rolled his eyes.

"There were no Death Eaters who confirmed that he was with Voldemort—"

"You otta your tree?" Stan yelped. "'Choo say 'is name for?"

Harry shrugged and his dog came flying back to him at a turn and knocked him over. Harry fell onto the floor and grabbed hold of the seat. "I'm Harry Potter, I'm allowed to say his name. Can you drive any slower, Ernie?"

"One speed only," the driver said.

"Anyway," Stan continued, obviously enjoying the talk about Black, "after 'e blasted 'alf the street apart jus' stood there an' laughed. An' when n reinforcements from the Ministry got there 'e went wiv 'em quiet as anyfink, still laughing 'is 'ead off. 'E's mad, inee, Ern? Inee mad?"

"If he wasn't before, he is now," said Ernie.

Harry cut in as he hoisted himself off the ground, "I don't think my dog likes this," he motioned to Sirius trying to hold onto the chair he was currently on. "Can you drop us off next? I'll pay you double."

"Diagon Alley, Ern," Stan told the driver and the bus took a sharp turn. Harry fell back off his seat and Sirius's paws slipped from their grip on the chair.

Harry decided not to climb back onto the chair. He took hold of the leg and braced himself. Sirius was once again trying to hold onto something. The bus came to a stop at the Leaky Cauldron and the sudden slamming on the breaks caused both Harry and Sirius to go flying into the front window.

Harry tossed Stan one galleon and five sickles and he and Sirius crawled out of the bus, their knees weak. The bus drove off and the two waited a moment for their legs to regain the ability to support the rest of them before peeling themselves off the ground. They walked into the pub, Sirius keeping himself as close to Harry's legs as possible. Harry kept his eye out for Moony, just in case.

Luckily, the one threat to Sirius's freedom wasn't in the pub. "Room for one, Tom," Harry said with a friendly smile to the barman.

"You're coming in late, Harry. Room thirteen in free," Tom told him and handed him a key. "You shouldn't be out a night. It's dangerous out there with Sirius Black on the loose."

Harry shrugged, "Goodnight then, Tom."

"Goodnight, Harry."

* * *

The morning came along and Harry woke up to Sirius licking his face happily. "Urg," he moaned, "Snuffles." The dog barked at him, obviously excited. "Okay, okay, I'm up. I'm up." He wasn't. He lay in bed for five minutes before attempting to sit up. He sat and looked at Sirius, whining at the door. Apparently, he had to go pee.

Why didn't he just change back into a human and use the toilet while Harry was asleep? He dressed himself and opened the door. Sirius bounded out of the room and looked around the dining room, whining again.

"Tom," Harry addressed the barman as he walked in after Sirius, "I'd like breakfast for me and for Snuffles. I'll be right back— I've got to take him out."

Tom nodded as Harry went to the other room and tapped the bricks with his wand, letting Sirius loose to do his business. The animagus found a patch of grass, did his business, and returned. The two returned to the pub, where a plate of food was awaiting both of them.

"Thanks," said Harry before he began to eat.

Halfway through his meal, Luna arrived and took a seat beside him. "That's a nice dog," she told him as she began to pet him.

"Yeah," Harry agreed with her in between mouthfuls.

Next came Neville and his grandmother. The two of them sat across from Harry, neither saying a word. After that, Hermione and her parents entered and sat with him. Hermione began to talk about France, earning eye-rolls from her parents. Then, lastly, the Weasley family climbed out of the floo, one by one, as Harry took his last couple of bites.

Ginny ran over to him first. "Harry!" she exclaimed loudly. He waved to her and when she got to him she stopped in front of him and smiled widely, not really sure how to greet him. Luna giggled at the other girl and Ginny blushed. She looked to the ground meekly.

"Hello Ginny," Harry said to her.

"Hello," she greeted back quietly.

Ron walked to him slower than his sister. "When did you get a dog, Harry?" he said, eyeing that large black dog on the floor warily.

"This summer. I found him in the streets. He's really nice."

Ginny looked up to Sirius and smiled at him. "Hello Doggy," she cooed.

"His name is Snuffles—"

Instantly, four voices said, "What?" Hermione and Ron were giving him weird looks, and Neville and Ginny had their eyebrows raised. Luna didn't react.

"Yeah, Snuffles—"

Ron interrupted him, "Seriously, you named your dog Snuffles? Really?"

"_Why_, exactly, did you name your dog _Snuffles_?" Neville inquired.

The tone of Harry's answer didn't leave room for explanation. "Nostalgia," he said with a shrug.

There was a moment of silence before Luna took Harry's hand and they began to walk into the Alley. She began to chat with him, "Did you know the Ministry has been trying to take over Bulgaria? The Department of Mysteries is enchanting chameleon woodlice to chew out their wands and brooms—"

The others just ignored Luna and Harry's conversation as they walked a few feet behind the blond girl and Boy-Who-Lived. Hermione started a conversation about Sirius Black. "Nobody has ever broken out of Azkaban before!"

And of course, as Ginny followed along Ron shoed her away, saying, "Go with Mom and Dad or Percy or something." Ginny looked at the ground sadly and left, kicking a stone across the ground as she walked.

Sirius himself was discreetly listening to their conversation, but Harry caught it. As the conversation changed from the convict to Scabbers's illness though...

The dog began to sniff and Ron's pockets. Ron swatted him, "Harry, control your dog." Because Pettigrew being eaten alive by Sirius wasn't really part of the time-traveller's plan, Harry complied with the other boy's request.

"Back off, Snuffles," the man-dog didn't respond to Harry, and kept sniffing around. "I'll disown you!" he exclaimed, knowing that it would work. Snuffles backed off.

Even though the rest didn't seem to notice the entire day, Harry noticed that one of the parents was always close enough and kept an eye on them. When they entered Flourish and Blott's, it was the Grangers who were loitering around with their eyes on the Dream Team. Molly and Arthur joined them in Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. At Quality Quidditch Supplies it was Percy, who was hiding behind a shelf, peeking out of his hiddy-hole at regular intervals. While they were sitting around at Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour, Neville's Gran took a table for herself in a spot where they were unlikely to notice her and she had a clear view of them.

Harry found it quite annoying. Even if Sirius was after him, it was doubtful he'd do it in the middle of a crowded street.

They finished their shopping and Hermione's parents left, leaving her to spend the next couple days at the Burrow, along with Neville and his Grandmother, and Luna's dad came to pick her up. The Weasleys, Harry and Hermione crowded around the fireplace.

"Have you ever flooed before?" Molly asked Hermione as Percy climbed into the green fire first, disappearing.

She shook her head, "No, Ma'am. I've read about it though."

"You take a fistful of powder, go in and drop it, then say where you want to go," Harry explained as he took some powder from Molly. "Watch." He stood in the fire, dropping the powder to turn it green, and said, "The Burrow."


	13. Warp 1, Year 3, Part 2

I have my own Dark Mark now. XD Henna, of course. It's totally awesome.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And---_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, nobody is going to die! (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

When there is a time skip it can be assumed that during that time something equivalent to canon is happening without major changes.

* * *

Thanks to _swanpride_ for being my plot beta!

* * *

**Book 3, Chapter 5: The Dementor; Chapter 6: Talons and Tea Leaves; Chapter 7: The Bogart in the Wardrobe**

**Warp 1, Year 3 (part 2), Chapter 12: The Beginning of Term**

* * *

The morning of September First was just like every other September First in the Weasley household. That is, if you ignored the fact that Mr. Weasley still had his own car.

Everybody was running up and down the stairs. Whenever Harry would turn a corner he'd run right into a person. Both Harry and the person he ran into would quickly apologize as they continued on as if they hadn't. Ginny was a problem when he ran into her— she blushed whispered, "Sorry," and would slowly walk out of his way.

Sirius took to snapping at Scabbers in Ron's pocket at every possible moment. He bounded around their heels, obviously extremely excited. He calmed down after he accidentally knocked Ginny down the stairs and she nearly broke her neck. Molly glared at him the rest of the morning after that.

Eventually, they managed to squish the entire Weasley family (plus Hermione, Harry, and Sirius) into the car, with an "Arthur, are you sure you didn't cast any charms on this car? I don't think muggles could make a small space this big," from Molly. Mr. Weasley shook his head, "No, I didn't," as they drove off.

They arrived at King's Cross just on time, as usual. They discreetly loitered around the barrier, passing through in pairs. Harry and Ron leaned against it casually and took a step back before taking off to catch a compartment. Snuffles and Hermione passed through next and hurried over to Harry and the dog barked happily. "Cool dog, Harry!" Lee Jordan called from across the platform while Fred and George loaded their trunks onto the train.

"Thanks Lee!" Harry called back.

When they passed the Malfoys the time-travellers winked at one another, unnoticed by the rest present.

Sirius's eyes strayed nervously to the wanted posters and Harry patted his head comfortingly. "So," Ron asked him, "have you heard from Moony?"

"Yeah," he replied and Sirius's ears perked up, interested. "We wrote each other all of last year... you know, until I was petrified…"

"Really," the redhead questioned. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"We weren't talking about anything important. We haven't even written since I was petrified though."

"Harry!" Luna ran over to the three. "Ron! Hermione!"

"Hey Luna. Wanna grab a compartment now? The train leaves in five minutes…" said Hermione.

Harry patted Sirius's head, "Bye, boy. See you at Christmas. Make sure the Weasleys take care of you. Love you." The four boarded the train. Neville had already arrived and was sitting in their compartment when they reached it. Moony was snoozing against the window. "What's Moony doing here?"

Neville shrugged, "He was already here when I got here."

"He's probably our new DADA teacher," Hermione theorized.

"Yeah, probably," Ron agreed. "So, how was your summer, Neville?"

"The usual. Glad to be back, though."

"Me too," Harry agreed. "What do you guys think of Sirius Black?'

Luna clapped her hands together happily. "I think he's really that singer from the Hog Goblins, Stubby Boardman!" Hermione blinked a couple times before placing her head into her hand and shaking it a couple of times in disappointment. They all watched her in silence.

"Anyways," Neville broke the silence, "I heard that he's after Harry!"

"What?" Hermione and Ron cried out.

He nodded solemnly, "Yeah, Gran has friends in the Ministry and I heard them talking… apparently, he's been muttering in his sleep "He's at Hogwarts" every night for the past couple of weeks," his voice quieted, "He was _You-Know-Who_'s right-hand man."

"Just say Voldemort, Neville. If you can't do that, at least call him his given name. Tom."

"V-V—" Neville was really trying.

Harry pushed him along, "You're a Gryffindor, Neville. Courage is being afraid but facing the fear."

"V-V-Voldemort…"

"That's it, Neville. Repeat after me: Voldemort."

"V-Voldemort."

"Voldemort," Harry said again.

"Voldemort…" Neville looked around nervously. The rest of the group was watching the exchange carefully, Ron flinching every time the name was said. "Voldemort!" his voice was confident now.

"See, there's nothing to be scared of. Ron, you next."

"Uhh… no thanks, mate…"

* * *

The train halted to a stop and the lights flickered. "We can't be there yet," Luna said carefully.

"No," Hermione agreed. The lights flickered once again and went out.

Luna grabbed onto Neville beside her. "I don't feel so good," she said.

There was lots of shuffling noises and then from Moony's corner, "Lumos." The end of his want lit the compartment.

"Moony, why's the train stopped?" asked Ron in a quiet whisper.

"I don't know, Ron… will you five be okay on your own—" the compartment door slid open with a _swish_ and they all pointed their wands to Ginny.

She whispered to them, "It's okay, it's just me… what going on?"

"We don't know," Moony explained. The compartment dropped several degrees in temperature and Ginny squeaked in fear. "Dementors?" the Marauder questioned himself quietly.

Once again, the door slid open, but this time it was slower and they all shook with fear.

_You have fought, valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses— Now I speak directly to you, Harry Potter. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself— _

The voice was cold and it overwhelmed him. Voldemort's voice echoed as if the villain was hissing into his ear. Before him he saw not the dark train compartment, but the Great Hall and the Battle of Hogwarts. The bodies lie in rows, the Weasley family huddled around Fred, crying their eyes out, Lupin and Tonks and Colin and— what was that white light? Almost like a patronus…

Suddenly, it was quiet again, almost deathly quiet. The lights were back on and Lupin was hovering over him with a chocolate bar.

"Are you all right, Prongslet?"

Harry took the chocolate bar from him, "Who screamed?" he asked, recalling what he should've been hearing from the Dementor.

Hermione shook her head. "Nobody screamed, Harry," she said.

"But I heard screaming! I knew I did! A woman…"

Moony sighed, "That was one of the Dementors of Azkaban." He explained to them, "They feed on your happiness, leaving only your worst memories. If you'll excuse me, I have to go talk to the driver."

As he slid the door shut, Ginny turned to Harry. "Are you sure you're okay," she inquired shyly. "You went all ridged and twitchy—" she shivered in her corner. Harry moved over and put his arm around her shoulder supportively.

Ron continued for her, "You didn't fall over or anything, but we could tell you were out for the count, even in that darkness. Then Moony pointed his wand to the Dementor and said, "None of us are hiding Sirius Black under out cloaks. Go." and then shot something silvery out of his wand."

"It was horrible," Neville added. "Felt like I'd never be cheerful again."

Nobody said any more. They nibbled quietly on their chocolate until Moony returned a couple minutes later. Those silent moments may have only been a couple minutes, but to the Dream Team the minutes felt like hours.

"We'll be arriving at Hogwarts in ten minutes," the Professor informed them all with a comforting smile. "Oh," he realized something, "I bet you're all wondering what I'm doing on the train!"

Harry wasn't in the mood to listen to Moony trying to cheer them up with casual conversation. "I bet you're going to teach Defence," he said plainly. The new teacher nodded.

Ron commented, "Bloody hell, Moony. I didn't think you were the suicidal type!"

"I'm not suicidal, Ron—" he was cut off by a shaken Draco Malfoy sliding the door open. He was sweating profusely and shivering.

He panted in fright, "There were… Dementors… on the train…"

"Shove off, Malfoy," the Weasley boy snapped and Harry grabbed his shoulder.

"Come on in. Need some chocolate?" the boy-who-lived passed a piece to the only person who could really understand what Harry was feeling at the moment. Malfoy probably recalled Voldemort when the Dementors came too close too.

Malfoy took it graciously and took a bite. "Thanks," he said appreciatively after he finished chewing. He closed the door and leaned against it. "Thanks," he repeated.

"Are you all right?" Hermione asked. Malfoy hadn't been targeting her like he did last time, so she didn't loathe him.

Malfoy started to nod, but then shook his head. He closed his eyes and shivered. "No," he almost cried. "Potter…" he opened his eyes again and his legs gave out. He didn't try to get up from his place, seated on the floor. "Potter, was it like that for you?"

Harry looked at him, "Yeah, it is."

"You're shaking, Potter."

He was unaware of this until his nemesis pointed it out, and he took his arm from Ginny's shoulder and wrapped both of them carefully around himself, as if he was holding himself together. "I guess I am…"

"What do you hear when it gets close?" Harry took note of the present tense the other boy used and didn't answer the question. He'd tell Malfoy later, and in exchange he wanted to know what Malfoy heard when it got close.

After a moment of silence, Moony broke the silence with a greeting, "I'll be the new Defence professor this year," he informed the Slytherin as the train halted to a stop at their destination.

Harry stood up first and held his hand out to Malfoy. Malfoy took his hand so he could pull him off the floor. They opened the door and filed out, Ginny, Malfoy, and Harry still shivering. The Dream Team (plus Ginny and Malfoy) boarded the carriages and didn't notice that Moony wasn't with them until they began to travel towards the castle. Malfoy kept his eyes on the thestrals with a gloomy look in his eye the entire time. When they were about halfway to the castle, Harry leaned over to him a whispered, "When Voldemort called me to the forbidden forest near the end of the Battle."

Malfoy whispered back, "When he mocked my family at a Death Eater meeting."

They reached the castle and entered the Great Hall. Malfoy separated from the group and joined the Slytherin table, loudly complaining about getting stuck with them because of the Dementor attack, while the Dream Team and Ginny took their seats at the Gryffindor table.

* * *

"I'm bored," Malfoy complained quietly to Harry on Thursday in an empty hallway after Potions. Nothing interesting had happened, heck, the Slytherin had even behaved in Care of Magic Creatures. "I don't want to do this anymore," he sighed angrily.

Harry smiled at him and said, "Would you like to join the Dream Team? We always have lots of fun adventures—"

"No," the blond shot down the other time-traveller and turned around and walked away.

"Where are you going?" Harry called after him, "You have Defence with us next and Moony is going to be a blast!"

Malfoy turned around and shot him a dry look, "The werewolf? You expect me to knowingly go into a classroom with a… a half-breed..? I'm skipping Defence this year, thank you very much."

"But Malfoy!" Harry yelled down the hallway but he didn't turn back. He sighed. "Dammit Malfoy," he muttered and began to walk towards the Defence classroom.

"Harry! We're going to be late for Defence!" Hermione yelled to him as she skidded into the hall and noticed him. "Where have you been!" she ran right past him. He paused before taking off after her.

"Where have I been?" he asked from a couple feet behind her, the two of them running in sync. "I took a detour to the washroom. Where have _you_ been? When I left you were walking with Ron and Neville. You should be there."

She didn't answer. They turned another corner and into the final sprint. The bell rang as they opened the classroom door. Moony wasn't there yet. They walked over to Neville and Ron and took their seats.

"Good afternoon," Moony greeted the class as he walked in. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags. Today's will be a practical lesson. You will only need wands."

Harry grinned widely. The class gave each other curious looks, hoping that there wouldn't be a repeat of Lockhart's fairies. They got to their feet and followed Lupin out the door.

"_Loony_ Loopy Lupin, Loony _Loopy _Lupin, Loony Loopy _Lupin_," Peeves sang when he saw Moony leading his class down the hall and Harry noted a certain fondness in the poltergeist's voice that he'd not noticed the first time— the same kind of fondness he seemed to illuminate whenever Fred and George were mentioned after their departure last time. Peeves did have a certain strange respect for his fellow troublemakers.

"I'd take that gum out of the keyhole if I were you, Peeves," Moony said pleasantly. Peeves blew a raspberry at him. "This is a useful little spell," he addressed the class. "Watch closely. _Waddiwasi_." The chewing gun zoomed at Peeves.

"Awesome," Harry laughed. "I'd love to hear some stories behind the uses of that spell, Moony— er… _Professor_ Moony, that is…"

Soon they filed into the staff room where Snape sneered at them. "I'd rather not witness this," he said and began to move towards the door, then stopped. "Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Mr Potter is there to do it for him."

Harry groaned. "I thought we had a nice mutual arrangement there, Professor— I keep Neville from blowing up your classroom and you don't take out any personal grudges on me…" he sighed. Snape closed the door behind him with a snap.

"Well Neville," Moony looked over to him. "Would you like to assist me, then?"

Neville stuttered, "Yeah… er… sure, Professor Moony."

* * *

A letter arrived from The Burrow for Harry one morning. Just as he opened it, Seamus jumped up and yelled, "Sirius Black has been sighted nearby!" and Harry knew what the content of the letter would be.

Sure enough, it was Molly Weasley informing him that Snuffles disappeared. Harry swore under his breath and when he did he felt a newspaper hit him in the head. He looked up to see Snape holding a rolled up newspaper with a smirk on his face. The teacher only paused for a moment before continuing his walk up to the staff table.

"Bastard," Ron muttered to Harry.

"He's just angry for what I said in DADA. He'll get over it."

"I don't know," said Neville. "He's just been getting worse and worse."

"I'm looking forward to the Hogsmead weekend," Harry changed the subject quickly. "Aren't you?" There was a sigh from Luna before anybody else replied.

"I am," Hermione said in her usual _I'm telling you something intelligent so don't interrupt_ voice. "There's supposed to be so many historic building, including the Shrieking Shack, the most haunted house in B—"

"I can't wait to see Zonko's" Ron interrupted her, earning a glare. "Fred and George always get their prank supplies there—"

Neville jumped in, "And Honeydukes! It's the best candy shop in the world!"

"I want to go," Luna said quietly. Obviously, she wasn't looking forward to being the only one of the Dream Team not in the castle.

So Harry suggested, "We can sneak you under the cloak—"

"Harry!" Hermione cut him off. "I can't believe you'd even think of doing that! Luna can hang around with Ginny or something. Remember, there's a murderer—" she stopped in her tracks. "You shouldn't even go!" she realized out loud. "The murderer is after you."

Harry sighed, "Should _I_ wear the cloak?"

"I agree with Miss Granger, Mr Potter," McGonagall said from behind them. All five jumped, not having heard her approach. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can allow you to visit Hogsmeade with Black on the loose."

"What!" Harry stood up and yelled. In all honesty, he didn't really care if he went or not, but he was playing a role. "But Professor!"

"No, Mr Potter, we can just hope that Black is caught soon. Until then, I apologize." She walked out of the Hall and Harry sat down in his seat. He began to mutter profanities to himself. That earned him another smack on the head with Snape's newspaper as he passed them on his own way out.

The quintet was silent for a couple moments before Hermione tried to cheer Harry up by saying, "He'll probably be caught by the Dementors as soon as he tries to enter the school."

"No," said Ron in a pessimistic tone, "he got by them once. He could do it again."

"I'm just going to go wearing the cloak with Luna," he said in a quiet tone. "Black couldn't catch me if I'm invisible." He stood up and left the Hall.

The group didn't follow him, but Fred and George did. They cornered Harry as soon as he was out of the Hall and pulled out a familiar piece of parchment.

"Harry, Harry, Harry—" Fred began.

"We heard what McGonagall said, and we think—"

"It's completely unfair—"

"So we thought that you might like this."

Harry didn't want to seem to in-the-know, so he questioned, "This piece of parchment?"

"Not just any piece of parchment, Harry."

"It's a map."

"A Map?" he questioned again.

"The Marauder's Map."

"It shows the entire school—"

"—And where everybody is—"

"—Including a couple passages into Hogsmeade that Flitch doesn't know about."

"So—"

"—With your little issue—"

"—We've learned all we can from it—"

"—So we decided to pass it on to another mischief maker."

"Use it well."

"It's a blank parchment, guys," Harry said, wondering if they were about to forget to tell him the password.

"Well there's a password—"

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good—"

_Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs_

_Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers_

_Are proud to present_

_THE MARAUDERS' MAP_

"Wow…" Harry said.

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, we owe them so much." George said with a sigh.

"Noble men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of rule breakers." Fred added solemnly.

"Right. And don't forget to wipe it when you're done—"

"—Or else anyone can read it."

"Mischief Managed," they both said at once and the map was wiped clean.

Harry smiled a thanks at them and said, "If you'll excuse me now, gentlemen, I've got to go ask Moony why he didn't tell me about this before."

"Ask—"

"—Moony?"

"Yeah, bye." Harry hurried off to the Marauder's office with no plans of actually telling Moony he had the Map. Last time it got confiscated, and he wanted to keep it badly.


	14. Warp 1, Year 3, Part 3

Wow. It's been what, two weeks? Three? Sorry about that. Like, really sorry. Christmas and life in general just got in my way. Also, I've been having a hard time writing this chapter and the fourteenth too, because without Harry worrying about Sirius and with Malfoy behaving himself, there's nothing I can really create conflict out of that could have been influenced by Harry's changes. On the bright side, I've managed to write myself into a corner and the only "conlict" of third year will have to be resolved in Chapter 14 and 15.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And---_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, nobody is going to die! (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

When there is a time skip it can be assumed that during that time something equivalent to canon is happening without major changes.

Thanks to _swanpride_ for being my plot beta!

* * *

**Book 3, Chapter 8: The Flight of the Fat Lady; Chapter 9: A Grim Defeat Chapter 10: The Marauder's Map**

**Warp 1, Year 3 (part 3), Chapter 13: The Lost Diadem**

* * *

October came quickly. Sirius was spotted three more times, and it was suspected that he was near Hogwarts. Harry didn't know how his dog managed it, but he guessed that his dog used the Weasley's floo to make up the time lost when he hung around Harry during the summer.

With that, Harry found himself arguing once again with McGonagall on Halloween about going to Hogsmeade. "But Professor! I have it signed!" he complained.

The Head of Gryffindor replied sternly, "Mr. Potter, no means no. Have you forgotten that there's a serial killer out there looking for you?"

Harry groaned, "I didn't know _that_, Professor. But I still want to go!"

"No, Mr Potter," she turned on her heels and marched off. Harry sighed loudly, but inside he was happy he had an excuse to hang around the castle. But with the Map readily available, did he really have an excuse? He didn't know what he was going to do.

"It's okay," said Luna with a soft smile, "remember, I'm not going either."

"You don't want to go under the cloak?"

"No, I don't think so."

"You sure?" Harry could've sung.

So the two of them waved off the other three. When they were out of sight, Luna and Harry turned back into the castle and casually walked down to the kitchens for Butterbeer.

As they graciously sipped on the warm drink, a certain blond Slytherin came through the door. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the Gryffindors. He smiled. Which really gave Harry a start.

"Malfoy? What're you doing here? I thought you'd be in Hogsmeade with everybody…" he inquired. Malfoy shrugged.

He replied, "I'm sure you know, Potter."

"Yeah. I do. Do you want to hang with Luna and I?"

Harry wasn't expecting him to accept the offer, so he was extremely surprised when Malfoy said, "If you're offering, then I guess I will."

"You… will…" Harry stuttered in shock.

Malfoy shrugged. "There's nothing better for me to do," he pointed out. "Crabbe and Goyle are in Hogsmeade and they're not much for company anyways."

"Yeah, I didn't ever think they were… I was planning on going to visit Professor Lupin, just to warn you."

Luna, who was smiling at the house elves, turned to the two in shock. "Harry," she gasped, "You just called Moony _Lupin_!" Her eyes were wide and she was staring at him.

Malfoy ignored her. "I don't even care anymore," he scoffed. "It's just too boring."

And even with that, the afternoon went fine. Malfoy didn't talk much, just tagged along. Remus didn't comment when the three walked into the office instead of two and nothing interesting happened until after the Halloween Feast.

"Oh, yes, Professorhead. He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see. Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black." Peeves explained to Dumbledore. The Gryffindors are fell silent. Whispers of "_Black? In the castle"_ ran though the crowd. Obviously, Sirius was too impatient to wait for Christmas to kill Pettigrew. That, or he doubted that he could even get near him with Ron on the defensive.

The Gryffindors were sent to the Great Hall and were joined by the other houses after ten minutes. When Malfoy walked in with the Slytherins he was walking alone, without Crabbe or Goyle, and instead of going to make himself comfortable with the Slytherins he came and claimed the empty sleeping bag beside Harry's.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Ron sneered. Malfoy only shrugged.

Because it was clear Malfoy wasn't going to answer for himself, Harry answered for him instead. "Leave him alone, Ron. What's he done to you?"

"Well, it's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean." The redhead laughed and for some reason, Ron's words made him thing about a certain scene by the lake that happened some twenty-odd years ago. Ron was much more like his father than he was, it seemed. Neither Harry nor Hermione found his comment amusing. Luna and Neville didn't laugh, but Harry couldn't tell what they thought about it.

"Mr Malfoy," a familiar leering voice came from a couple feet away, "what, might I ask, are you doing with _Potter_ and his group of _perfect_ Gryffindors?" Snape wasn't looking at Malfoy when he spoke though, he was looking warily at Harry.

"I'm claiming a sleeping bag, sir."

"And why," he still hadn't turned from Harry to the Slytherin, "are you claiming one _here_?"

Malfoy shrugged, but otherwise didn't move. The Professor didn't seem satisfied, but he broke his stare and spun around on his heels and left the Great Hall. The Dream Team glanced at one another and

"Anyways…" Harry changed the subject.

"Do you think Black is still in the castle?" Hermione whispered anxiously to her friends, ignoring Malfoy's presence.

"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be," replied Ron.

Harry disagreed, "Would you really feel safe in the tower right now? Would you feel safe if there wasn't a search? He might not think so. He's probably just doing it because—"

"Guys?" The meek voice of Ginny interrupted him. "Can I lay with you?"

"Yeah, sure," Harry said and Neville, Hermione, and Luna nodded in agreement.

"No—" Ron whined, as any teenager would. "I don't want my kid sister tagging along with us."

"I don't want to tag along," she defended herself. "I'm scared."

Harry shot a glare at Ron and told her, "Go get a sleeping bag then; it seems that we've run out."

Ginny smiled at them graciously and hurried to grab one. Percy watched her and as soon as she was laying in it between Harry and Ron, Percy yelled, "The lights are going out now. I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!"

* * *

"Hey Potter," Malfoy asked, looking nervously out the window the day before the Quidditch match when they were alone in the halls. "Why are you trying to change so much anyways?"

Harry didn't know what to say. Why wouldn't he? "Why wouldn't I?"

Malfoy looked out the window sadly, "Well, things for you turned out pretty good. You didn't even need to take NEWTs and you had a good job. You have a wife that loved you…"

"But so many people died, Malfoy. Tonks, Lupin, Fred, Moody, Dobby, Hedwig, Dumbledore… Snape. Many good people."

"Oh yes," Malfoy snapped, "your saving people thing. That's all it is. How stupid of me."

Harry smiled at him, "But things worked out pretty well for you."

Malfoy was practically yelling at him angrily now, "But that's because you kept my mother and I out of jail. But this time, Potter, I'll know what I'm doing! Are you going to defend me?"

Harry smiled at him, "Of course I will. But it seems you've been changing things too. Why become a Death Eater? I doubt that it'll get that far anyways, if my planning works out right."

Malfoy shook his head, "I don't think your plan is going to work, Potter. There's too many variables. I suggest you learn Occlumency."

He sighed, "I'm terrible at Occlumency."

"And what if," the other sneered, "The Dark Lord manages to pull your oh-so-precious information. Like, for example, the fact you know the location of all the horcr—"

Harry jumped and grabbed his face in shock. "The diadem! I totally forgot about it!"

Malfoy was shocked. "How could you forget about that?" he yelled. "The one thing that you _have_ to remember! The thing that you have to do!"

The Boy-Who-Lived shrugged his shoulder and scratched the back of his head. He grabbed Malfoy by the arm and then dragged him down the hall, picking up speed until the two of them were running to the Room of Requirement.

"Why are you taking me with you!" He yelled as he was dragged back and fourth in front the Room's entrance. Harry didn't answer as the door appeared and he was dragged through it. "Let me go!" Malfoy yanked his arm away when they were through the door. "I'll help you," he spat, "okay." He was angry.

"Thanks," Harry smiled. "I don't remember where it was… near a big wardrobe, chest… or something…"

"You've _forgotten_?"

"Yeah… it's on a stand…"

Malfoy groaned and began to look around the vast collection of junk. "You know," he called to Harry eventually, "we could make a hobby of this. There's so much cool stuff in here." He ran his fingers across an old piano and said, "I wonder who hid some of this stuff…" he looked on to the endless heaps of items. He couldn't see where the room ended.

"Yeah…" Harry called back as he glanced back up to Malfoy. "We can do that later then, because right now we have to find Ravenclaw's Diadem."

"I know," the Slytherin replied, "I know."

They searched in complete silence for ten minutes before Malfoy finally yelled from an unseen location, "Hey Potter! Potter, I found it!"

Harry took off in the direction Malfoy's voice came from. When he arrived Malfoy was removing the Horcrux from its place on the stand. "Good job, young Padawan."

Malfoy raised his eyebrow. "What?"

"Sorry, Star Wars was one of Dudley's favourite movies," he explained quick.

"Movie?"

"Nevermind. Pass it over." Malfoy hesitated to follow the order, but he did. "Hey Malfoy, would you like to see the Chamber of Secrets?"

The Slytherin blinked. "You're willing to show me that?"

"Accept before I change my mind," Harry snapped.

"Of course I'd like to see it."

So Harry pulled the invisibility cloak out of his pocket, which he still carried around out of habit. He and Malfoy asked the room for an exit and they covered themselves with the cloak and Harry led them to the second floor calmly. Malfoy didn't comment as they walked into the girl's bathroom.

"_Open,_" Harry hissed and the other time-traveller looked on in shock as the entrance to the Chamber opened.

He gasped, "Wow…" and Harry pushed him down first. He kept his mouth shut, no screaming, and after a moment Harry slid himself into the hole and went down in the same fashion.

He landed on top of Malfoy, who groaned as he fell onto the dirty floor under Harry's weight. Harry stood up first and then helped up Malfoy. They began their trek down the tunnel and when the reached the giant skin, Harry had an epiphany. "Oh Merlin, I'm so _stupid_."

Malfoy blinked. "You just realized that now?"

"Not helping, Malfoy."

Before asking for Harry to elaborate, Malfoy asked, "Is the reason you realized this something I should know? Or would it be something that might make me murder you?"

Harry scratched the back of his head, "Well… the second one…"

"Harry…" Malfoy growled.

"Well, I forgot to bring something to get us out of here… and I took fangs with me out last year… they're in my trunk…"

"So we're stuck down here for no reason at all."

"Yeah… pretty much... well… since we're here I might as well destroy it here," Harry proposed with a nervous smile. Malfoy shrugged his shoulders.

They reached the door and Harry hissed at it and it opened. Malfoy balked at the giant corpse, but Harry walked up and raised his wand. He used the same spell as he did in the Chamber at the end of last year and stabbed the Horcrux. A piercing shriek echoed through the Chamber and Harry stabbed it a second time for good measure.

"How are we going to get out of here, Potter?"

"I don't really know… we left the entrance open, and Myrtle saw us go down, so when people start to look for us…"

"When will _that_ be, Potter?"

"Considering that they think Sirius is after my blood, probably not long."

Malfoy snorted and turned around and walked quickly in the direction they came from. When he reached the hole they landed in, he leaned against the wall and waited. Before Harry left he took a final look at the basilisk and when he did leave he walked slower.

Malfoy was seated on the ground, summoning birds out of nothing and they circled around Harry's head. The Slytherin was shooting threatening looks to him, and he was shooting apologetic looks back. They'd been in the Chamber of Secrets for hours and they didn't know when (or if) they'd be saved at all.

"Potter…"

"What is it?"

"I hate you."

"I never doubted you did."

Soon enough, Harry started turning rocks different colours and making them play seventies muggle rock songs. It was during _Killer Queen _that Malfoy finally snapped. "Turn off that racket, Potter! I'm tired of this! Haven't you ever learned a flying spell?"

"No…" Harry sighed. "But if it's bothering you that much I'll take requests. Do you have any?"

"… no…"

"Then we're sticking with this. I'm thinking switching to _The Who_ though, if it makes you feel any better."

"I assure you, it doesn't."

They sat in silence for another half an hour or so… well, almost silence. Harry turned down the music coming from the rock.

And finally, Dumbledore's magnified voice echoed down into the Chamber. They'd finally been found. "Harry? Harry are you down there?"

Harry jumped up and quickly cast, "Snorus" on himself. "Yes, Malfoy and I are down here! Get us out!"

Malfoy did the same and called, "Now!"

They didn't receive an answer, but after a moment, Fawkes was flying above their heads. Harry grabbed onto his leg and Malfoy took hold of Harry's arm.

Once they were out, they noticed the crowd in the bathroom. Malfoy wandered over to his father who was there, standing neutrally beside Snape. Molly Weasley pulled Harry into a hug and when she let go Hermione, Ginny, and Luna did the same all at once. They knocked Harry over and he noticed they'd been crying. When he sat up he noticed Ron and Neville looking at them with worried eyes. McGonagall was standing next to Dumbledore and she was glaring at him in they way she did before the Battle of Hogwarts when she was scolding him for coming to Hogwarts, and Moony was standing with his hands on Ron and Neville's shoulders.

"Yeah…" Harry gave them a crooked smile. "I was just showing Malfoy the Chamber of Secrets… and I forgot to bring a way up…"

"We'll discuss your punishment in the morning, Harry, Mr Malfoy," Dumbledore said, "I'm sure you'd very much enjoy going to bed at the moment."

* * *

Harry and Malfoy entered the dungeons for their first of many detentions with Snape. Malfoy was complaining loudly to him, "I can't believe we have detention twice a week until Christmas!" while Harry all but ignored him. Snape curled his lips into a position that reminded Harry of the snarl of an angry dog at the sight of them.

Before assigning them their tasks, he addressed his Slytherin, "Mr Malfoy, what on _Earth_ possessed you to go into a dangerous place with a Gryffindor—"

Harry cut him off though, "I'm not my father, sir. I wouldn't feed him to a wild animal—"

"Another detention, Mr Potter."

Harry sighed. With every stupid thing he did Snape would hate him more an more. Doing well in Potions could only take him so far in his relationship with the spy. "Yes sir," he sighed.

"The two of you will be dissecting frogs—"

He couldn't help it. He resented Snape for years before this and his attitude wasn't helping. He interrupted once again, "With or without gloves?" Snape gave him his famous death glare. It wasn't as scary as Harry had remembered it now. That was probably because he was older and had faced off with Voldemort's death glare.

"_You_ won't be using gloves, Potter."

Harry groaned. Why did he keep doing that? This was _Snape_.

And this was going to be a long night.

"Psst," Malfoy whispered as Snape sat down at the front of the room and began to read a book, "Potter, why _do_ you do that? Are you suicidal?"

"Of course not," Harry whispered back.

"Then why are you provoking Professor Snape?"

"He won't kill me," Harry insisted.

Malfoy glanced up at Snape, who wasn't looking at them, and whispered back, "But your precious plans to keep your precious Godfather—"

"Don't talk about this here!" the Gryffindor's urgent whisper caught Snape's attention.

"No talking," he said sternly before looking back to his book.

"_Mufliato_," Harry cast and growled. "Try to look like you're not talking and he won't notice," he said at a regular volume.

"Won't he hear?"

"No. Ironic, really. He made the spell I'm using."

Malfoy snorted and looked carefully at his frog. "I'd hate to do this gloveless," he stated.

Harry shrugged, "It's not too bad. It's not like he hasn't made me do it before."

"In this timeline or the last?"

"The last. I've only go a couple detentions with him in this one."

"Back on topic, your plans won't work out without Professor Snape on your good side."

Harry closed his eyes for a moment and sighed, "I know, but after years of hate… and he's not really helping…"

"You were mouthing off at him."

Harry didn't answer. The last thing he said was to lift the spell, and then the two were completely silent until they were dismissed right before curfew. They left the classroom and Harry announced, "I'll work my plans around him," and started for the stairs. At first it was slow, but by the time he reached the stairs out of the dungeons he was running, and he ran all the way to the common room.


	15. Warp 1, Year 3, Part 4

This update in on time! Yay! With schools back in session and exams in two weeks you might not get an update next Saturday. I've got so much to do. *sigh*

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And---_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, nobody is going to die! (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

Special thanks to my beta, swanpride.

* * *

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE**: **When there is a time skip it can be assumed that during that time something equivalent to canon is happening without major changes. **

* * *

**Book 3, Chapter 11: The Firebolt (I think.)**

**Warp 1, Year 3 (part 4), Chapter 13: Sirius Black**

* * *

Harry and Malfoy were neck-in-neck for the snitch. The rain was harsh and the two could barely see. They were both smiling though. Of course, it only lasted a couple seconds before

_Look… at… me_, Snape's last words were clear as day, and a familiar screaming echoed too as Harry plummeted to the ground as everything faded to black.

His friends, the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, Lupin and Ginny were all crowded around his hospital bed when he awoke.

"Harry!" Hermione and Ginny shrieked when they noticed his eyes flutter open. "You're okay!"

"Yeah," Harry groaned. "After these past couple years you guys should know Madam Pomfrey can mend anything that's thrown at her…" Hermione smacked the back of head for his sarcasm. "Oww! Hermione!" he complained. "What happened?"

"You fell off," Fred explained. "Must've been about fifty feet."

"We thought you died!" Alicia cried out.

Harry rolled his eyes, "Not me. I could sort of guess that… I meant the match. Did Malfoy catch the snitch?"

"No," George furrowed his eyebrows. "He flew to the ground, not really up to his usual standards, and he was really shaken up. Dumbledore got rid of the Dementors but Malfoy refused to play any more. We played for about ten minutes before it was just called off… Slytherin had more points when it was though, so they were given the win."

"And let me guess, Wood is trying to drown himself in the showers…" Fred nodded solemnly. "Well," Harry was feeling better about loosing than last time. Probably because he'd lost a match before, but still, he couldn't really understand why he'd felt so terrible about it last time.

"And my broom?" he had his fingers crossed for the Willow, but he couldn't really be sure. He wasn't in the exact same place as last time…

Ron and Hermione looked quickly at each other. When they did Harry could almost jump for joy. "Er—"

"What?"

"Well… when you fell off it got blown away…"

"And?"

"And… it hit… oh, Harry… it hit the Whomping Willow… Professor Flitwick brought it back right before you came round…"

"Well, what's left of it," Ron finished for her.

"Now I won't have you giving bad news to my patients!" Madam Pomfrey ordered from her corner of the room. "Out. All of you." Everybody except Moony filed out. She looked at him and he held out one finger. She narrowed he eyes but he didn't back down. Finally, she just let him stay.

"You know," Lupin sighed, "They planted the Willow the same year that I came to Hogwarts. People used to play a game, trying to get near enough to touch the trunk. They forbid us from playing after a boy nearly lost an eye, though. It's a brutal tree."

Harry looked to the broom remains that they'd brought him. "Yeah," he sighed too, "I know, Moony. I know."

"Dementors are some of the foulest creatures that walk the earth—"

"Azkaban must be terrible," Harry speculated. "When they get near me, I hear Voldemort murdering my mum."

Moony placed his hand on Harry's shoulder as a comforting gesture. There was a moment's silence. "The fortress is on a tiny island, but they don't need walls and water to keep them inside, not when they're all trapped inside their own minds. Most go mad within weeks!"

Harry smiled up to his friend. He'd long since gotten over his parent's deaths, and he heard worse things than their deaths— Voldemort's cold voice accusing him of the death of his friends, innocent Snape dying and Harry thinking only that he got what he deserved. "Can you teach me that spell that made the Dementor on the train back off?"

"I don't pretend to be an expert on fighting Dementors off—"

"You're the DADA Professor, Moony, I'm sure you'll do."

"Well, all right, but it will have to wait until next term. I chose a very inconvenient time to fall ill…"

"Oh," Harry added, "by the way, Mrs. Weasley wants me to ask you if you would like to join us at the Burrow for Christmas…"

"That's very kind of her, but…"

Harry laughed, "She insists. C"mon, it'll be fun!"

"Well," Moony pondered, "I guess I could."

* * *

Molly Weasley was alone when she picked up Harry, Hermione, and her children at the train station on the first day of Christmas holidays. The first thing she said to Harry was, "The strangest thing happened, Harry. Snuffles came back!" and Harry immediately wanted to hit something. That was wonderful. Just brilliant. Moony would recognize Sirius…

Actually, it might not be too bad of a thing after all. If would ruin his well-thought plans to make sure everything turns out fine at the end of the year. He was going to stop the situation from coming to Snape revealing himself, or at least tying him up instead of knocking him out. Snape would hear the whole thing, see Pettigrew alive and hear him admit to betraying _Lily_ and James, and then hopefully everything would work out. Actually, he was hoping to get on Snape's good side by getting mad at Sirius for trying to feed him to a werewolf.

Oh well, he had a couple of days to plan what to do. Maybe he could lock up Sirius and let him get a close look at Scabbers? He didn't know.

The group squeezed into the car and Molly took the driver's seat. "I didn't know you could drive," Ron said as she did.

"Your father taught me after you lot left this year."

The ride home was less than peaceful. Between Fred and George's fireworks from Zonko's were set off by Crookshanks, and frightened, the cat clung to Molly's hair the rest of the trip. Hedwig was also frightened by the fireworks and hooted loudly, which alerted Percy's sleeping owl to the chaos. With all that, Molly couldn't concentrate on driving.

Soon enough, a police officer was following them with flashing lights. Molly was _not _prepared for that. She stuttered, "What should I do?" to Hermione. "Should I speed up?"

"Pull over!" Hermione ordered, yelling over the noise of the car.

So she did.

The officer pulled over behind them and Molly began to fret, not knowing what was going on. Hermione tried to explain what was happening quickly, but she didn't manage before the officer was knocking on the window. "Roll it down," Harry instructed. She obeyed.

"You do realize you were driving in the wrong lane, Miss," he said. Just as he was about to lean into the window, the last firework flew out of it and exploded in the road. The policeman quirked an eyebrow. "And a firework just flew out your window…"

"It's alright now, though!" Fred announced to him.

"That was the last one!" George sighed.

"We were planning on setting them off on Christmas…" Fred continued.

This drew the attention of the officer to the back seat, where five people were crammed in. When Harry noticed the cop's attention on them he made a point of the seatbelts they were all wearing, and the space that they all had. "And there is a limit on the people you can sit in your backseat. If you're desperate, I suggest you purchase an SUV, but I'm going to have to write you up for this too…"

"Write me up?" Molly didn't understand.

"Yes, write you up. License and registration please…"

Molly looked at him and blinked once, and then twice. Hermione, who was sitting in the front seat, banged her head against the dashboard. "She's new to this driving thing, officer," Hermione tried to explain.

"Licence?" Molly wondered aloud. Apparently, she really didn't grasp this muggle driving thing.

"You know how we need a license to apparate?" Harry explained to her from the backseat, "It's like that…"

"Oh… Arthur didn't tell me that. He just taught me how to work this thing and couldn't pick up the children at the station."

"Driving without a license… tsk, tsk," the officer scolded as he began to write on a pad of paper. "I'll have to take you down to the station."

Molly was at a loss. She blinked, "The… station..?"

"Yes the— why are you pointing a stick in my face?" Alas, Molly was pointing her wand at his face.

"Obliviate."

The muggle looked confused for a moment before looking down at the ticket. "Sorry about that…" he said, furrowing his eyebrows, trying to remember. He looked down at his notebook and said, "Uhh… License and registration, please?" it sounded like he was questioning himself.

Molly looked at the notebook, frustrated, she snatched it out of his hands, tore the page out, then tore the yellow page under it out—later she out loud wondered how he managed to write on two papers without flipping the page. She poked her wand at his face once more and cast, "Obliviate!"

He faltered, and then looked confused once more. He looked down to his notebook, back to Molly, and Hermione chimed in from the passenger seat, "Yes, everything is just fine, officer."

"Fine," he muttered, "everything is just fine…" and in a louder voice to them he said, "Yes, I can see that. Good day."

"To you too, officer!" Hermione said with a smile. As they pulled back onto the road everybody was silent. That was, until Hermione spoke up. "You shouldn't have done that, Mrs Weasley. That's resisting arrest—"

But Harry cut her off, "Lay off, Hermione. It's not like anybody is any worse off. And the fines that she'd be facing for all that would probably be more than they could afford anyways."

All the Weasleys blushed as red as their hair, and Ron elbowed him.

Christmas at the Burrow wasn't as magical as Christmas at Hogwarts but Harry liked it much better. Mrs Weasley cooked just as well, if not better than the house elves, and there was no Snape to have to put up with over the holidays.

Sirius was just like he was during the summer holidays, happy and canine. He still snapped at Scabbers at every chance he got, but Ron learned to keep his pet away from Harry's. It took a bit of convincing for Ron to allow the dog to sleep in their room, but with the introduction of a locked rat cage charmed against being opened— or even touched— by anybody but Ron, he grudgingly allowed it.

Harry was careful, wondering how he would let Sirius know that the only threat to his cover would be spending three days with them. Remus would be arriving on Christmas Eve and be staying until the twenty-sixth.

"So," Harry brought up at dinner on the day before Christmas Eve, "Remus is still arriving tomorrow, right?" He was careful not to look at Sirius like he was tempted to

"Of course Harry," Molly confirmed. "Why?"

"He didn't seem to want to come, that's all," he shrugged. "I thought he'd bail at the last minute."

"It's not the last minute yet," Hermione interrupted. "He could cancel anytime between now and tomorrow morning. Are Longbottoms or Lovegoods going to stop by on Christmas like we planned?"

"They all will be coming for dinner," said Arthur.

Sirius whimpered at Harry's feet and Harry patted his head. He was probably going to take off during the night and head back north. It was nice to see him a couple of days, it really was, and Harry wished with all of his heart that he could get Sirius cleared, screw Pettigrew's part in Voldemort's return. Crouch could probably put an imperious on his father to take care of Voldemort … or imperious his father to put Harry in the tournament… or something... Voldemort would find a way back!

He did want into Grimmauld Place at the first possible chance, which he'd need Sirius for… he needed some assistance with breaking into Gringotts, preferably a Goblin… he didn't know what kind of enchantments were on the ring, so he was considering letting Dumbledore go after it instead of him if possible, maybe give him a warning in advanced… kill Nagini… get killed… he was getting off track.

He went up to bed that night and gave Sirius a kiss goodnight— a kiss goodbye.

* * *

Somebody was shaking him awake. It was still dark, and Harry could tell the figure wasn't Ron or Hermione or even Ginny. It was obviously a full grown wizard, and it didn't look like Arthur or Percy— he was too scruffy for them, and Bill and Charlie weren't coming home this Christmas.

"Sirius… Sirius Black," Harry realized quietly and Sirius covered his godson's mouth. His wide eyes looked over to Ron warily and then back to Harry.

"Quiet," he snapped, and then looked around the room for a way out. Harry nodded.

Sirius looked truly insane. His wide, frightened eyes refused meet Harry's calm ones. The moonlight shone through the window and it lit up half of Sirius's face, only one of his pupils was dilated. His dirty hair falling over his face and prison garbs completed the look.

He grabbed Harry's wrist and quietly opened the door. The two of them tiptoed out of the room and down the stairs. Harry knew each and every creaky stair and took the lead. The convict was obviously not comfortable with that, but if it got them out of the house quietly…

After what seemed like an eternity, the two reached the ground floor. Harry continued to lead them to the nearest door and into the shadows of a tree in the yard so that if anybody looked out their window at such a late hour they'd have a hard time distinguishing the two figures.

"Harry," Sirius croaked and Harry wanted to interrupt him right there, but decided to let him say his piece first. "Harry," he reached out and the time traveler didn't recoil as the convict's dirty hands touched his face. "You look just like James…"

"— but with my mother's eyes," Harry finished for him with a smile. For some reason, while annoying from anybody else, this line from the man before him made him feel warm inside. He smiled, "They say that eyes are the windows to the soul."

Sirius smiled back, "Yes, they do," and his insane eyes displayed a familiar fond, gentleness. "Harry," he seemed to be stuck on the name. It was the first time he'd actually spoke his godson's name to his face in ten years, and Harry decided to let him have his moment. "Harry," he didn't seem to be able to help himself— he embraced the time traveller lovingly and then pulled back. "Harry, I promise," he paused and took a deep breath, "I promise I didn't do it." Now his voice was urgent and pleading, "You have to believe me!"

"I know," replied Harry simply, "I believe you."

"I didn't— did you just say that you believe me?" he seemed that he wasn't prepared for acceptance from the shock in his voice.

"I did."

Sirius was rendered silent. He stuttered and then managed out, "Why?"

He shrugged but didn't say anything. He wanted to tell Sirius everything, he really did. The convict would make a great ally, but he didn't want to take the risk of Sirius letting it out. Not that he didn't trust Sirius, but he was extremely reluctant. He already regretted saying he believed the story which should have seemed unbelievable. "Why did you come here if you didn't want to kill me then?" Harry changed the subject.

He too received a shrug as an answer. Sirius was silent for a long time before he said, "I'm your Godfather, you know." He too seemed to be avoiding the question asked.

"Yeah, I know," Harry replied. "Is that why you're here?"

Sirius sighed. Harry wasn't going to let the subject go and he knew it. "The one who sold out your parents to Voldemort wasn't me, it was Peter Pettigrew. I broke out to commit the murder I was imprisoned for."

"That would just send you back though," reasoned Harry.

"I could run. I'm doing a pretty good job."

"For the rest of your life?" If he could convince Sirius into a plan that ended in Pettigrew's arrest instead of death then proving the convict's innocence would be a hell of a lot easier.

"I didn't plan that far ahead…" he admitted.

"Sirius, why did you come here?" the time-traveller insisted. He had really begun to hate not knowing things after being omniscient for so long.

"You said Remus would be coming by tomorrow, so I—"

"How did you know that?" Harry interrupted. He wasn't supposed to know that Snuffles was really Sirius.

"I… well…" Apparently, Sirius was quite ready to admit that he was Snuffles. Was he worried about Harry's acceptance or something?

"Spit it out."

"I'm an animagus… a dog…"

Because Sirius seemed to be struggling, Harry helped him along. "You're Snuffles?"

"Well… yes, I am…" Harry just smiled and waited for Sirius to continue. After a couple minutes in silence, he did. "Remus knows my animagus form," he said. "But I don't want to leave."

He didn't know how to respond. The two stood in silence for what felt like an eternity before Harry asked, "Where's Pettigrew?"

"He's an animagus too. Your friend's rat," replied Sirius with distaste. "He's been so close to you. One word about his master regaining power and he would have _killed_ you."

Harry sat down on the grass. If this was the first time he was hearing news of it he would have felt weak. When he first learned about Pettigrew's identity he was already having an adrenaline rush, but afterwards he felt sick at the thought of Pettigrew not being revealed when he was— while Voldemort was powerless.

Sirius sat down beside him, understanding. They sat in silence for a long time. Harry thinking hard and Sirius seemed to be just enjoying Harry's presence. If Sirius had revealed himself to Harry in any other situation besides threat of exposure, their night would have felt extremely peaceful.

But it wasn't. Sirius was in trouble and Harry had a chance to clear his name. The chance he'd been searching for all year. They just had to do everything right, and Harry wasn't quite sure what the right way to go about was.

He had to figure it out quickly too because there was no telling if Ron would wake up and find Harry absent from his bed.

Finally after about a half hour or so, Harry looked to Sirius and gave him a mischievous smile. "I have a plan," he announced and began to explain.


	16. Warp 1, Year 3, Part 5

Yeah, exams are over and second semester has started, and I'm posting this right now. Hopefully I'll have another chapter by Saturday... and if not, by the Saturday after that. This is probably going to be the last chapter of third year because no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to write out a conclusion for the year without sounding too... summaryish... (not a word, I know)... so next chapter will probably be fourth year.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And---_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. Thi s time around, he declares, nobody is going to die! (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

Thanks so much to my plot-beta, Swanpride!

* * *

**Book 3, Chapter 11: The Firebolt; with excerpts from Chapter 17: Cat, Rat, and Dog; Chapter 18: Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs; Chapter 19: The Servant of Lord Voldemort**

**Warp 1, Year 3 (part 5), Chapter 15: Wormtail Caught**

* * *

In the morning Harry shooed Snuffles out of the house and whispered for him to entertain himself in the only part of the Weasley property that was hidden from the view of the house— the Quidditch Pitch. It wasn't really a proper Quidditch Pitch, just an orchard with they used as a Pitch because it was surrounded by high trees to hide them from the view of muggles.

From there, he waited. His plan was actually quite simple, and it strongly depended on Moony's ability to recognize Pettigrew's animagus form. If, after all these years, he couldn't, then Harry's plan would fall to pieces.

Actually, now that he thought about it, Harry was more worried about Moony actually showing up. After all, Harry couldn't remember seeing him on Christmas at the Castle last time. He didn't have anywhere to go, and he was pretty sure he'd heard Dumbledore mention that he was ill. The full moon was after Christmas, so he shouldn't be out. After a bit of thinking, Harry concluded that they had probably been trying to cover up the fact he was always sick only on the full moon by pretending he was sick a couple days before. Snape's essay could have caused students to be suspicious about the days he falls ill…

When the professor arrived at noon, Harry was holding Scabbers tightly between his two hands. Ever since summer, when the rat was out of his cage somebody had to be holding him, even when Snuffles wasn't there. As the animagus recognized his old friend he began to squirm and try to escape. Unfortunately for Pettigrew, but fortunately for Harry, this action drew attention to his presence.

"Harry," Lupin spoke with his eyebrows furrowed in concentration, "can I see that rat?"

His evil plan was working! Well, it wasn't really an _evil_ plan, but he was bored of everything being _good_ this and _morally correct_ that. If he didn't know it was a bad idea, he would have joined up with Voldemort out of complete boredom. He was sure Malfoy felt the same about being a spoiled prejudice brat, because he sure wasn't acting like that now.

Harry wordlessly passed the rat to his professor for him to examine, and that he did. Holding Scabbers firmly in one hand, he held him up and moved him around, figuring at his missing toe. "No," Lupin breathed. "It can't be…"

"What can't be, Professor Moony?" Harry played dumb, like planned.

"It's… it's nothing, Harry…" Obviously Harry forgot something. Sure this proved that Sirius didn't kill Pettigrew, but it didn't prove that Pettigrew was the secret keeper. Just because Lupin was able to put the pieced together by the end of the year last time, it didn't mean that he could do it at Christmas with pretty much the same information.

Oh well, he just needed to tweak his original plan a little bit.

Lupin handed Scabber's back to Harry and Harry handed him to Ron.

"Hey Harry, I haven't seen Snuffles all morning… where did he go?" Molly asked. He knew she would after attention was drawn to Scabbers like that. He was getting good at predicting everybody's actions. Maybe he should have been in Slytherin after all?

"He's outside," Harry told her.

Lupin looked confused. They never actually mentioned Harry's dog to him, and it actually paid off. "Who..?"

"My dog," Harry said with a smile. "I should go let him inside; it's cold out. Would you like to come with me and meet him?"

Wormtail's presence seemed to have Lupin on high alert for strange dogs that could be Sirius. He had a highly suspicious look on his face since Harry said the word '_dog_'. "Yeah, I think so," he said. The look on his face indicated that he was making a plan of his own.

"Then c'mon," Harry grabbed his hand enthusiastically and pulled him out of the house quickly. Sometimes he got a little too into his acts. How was he supposed to remember exactly how he acted as a thirteen year old?

"Snuffles!" He called to Sirius as he dragged Moony into the Quidditch Pitch. Sirius came bounding out happily and jumped onto Harry, knocking the small teen onto the ground. He began to happily lick at the time-traveller's face, and he laughed. Moony tensed up and drew his wand, pointing it at the escaped convict.

Sirius backed off of Harry and whimpered at his best friend. Moony didn't seem to take the hint though and growled. Harry did a double-take at that. He couldn't remember any time he'd heard Moony growl, let alone at Sirius. "Get off of him," Moony snapped. "Now!"

"He's harmless!" Harry insisted as his godfather backed off carefully. Apparently, Harry over-estimated Remus's ability to piece things together by himself. Last time he had kept his wand pointed at Sirius until… oh… Harry could have smacked himself at his stupidity. After ten years, he was getting worse and worse at recalling how things went. Nevertheless, he continued the same way he started. "The only thing he's ever gone at is Scabbers. I think he has something personal against the rat or something…"

"Harry, that dog is Sirius Black," the statement was extremely blunt, but Harry expected no less when Remus thought his life was on the line.

"But he's a dog," Harry laughed. "They would have told us if Sirius was an animagus… heck, Hermione would have known and told us!"

"It's pretty fathomable that he didn't register, Harry…"

Great, now he could make his best argument in Sirius's innocence. "But if he was Black then why hasn't he killed me? Huh? He sleeps in my _bedroom_!"

"Well, he could have been found out as an animagus and his best disguise would be ruined, Harry. He's just waiting for a good chance and…"

"But he has had chances— all of August, really. I didn't tell the Dursley's I was keeping a stray dog in my room; nobody knew anything."

Remus began to stutter, unable to answer. Then he went silent. It seemed to be piecing together in his mind. "But that doesn't make sense!" he protested after a couple of minutes. "Unless you switched," he looked to Sirius. "Unless you switched without telling me…"

For a moment, nobody said anything or even moved. Then, after what must have felt like an eternity to Moony, Sirius nodded a confirmation and began to transform into himself. The first thing he did once he was a man was jump at Moony and pulled him into a brotherly hug. Moony hugged him back.

That was when Hermione and Ron walked into the pitch to find out what was taking so long. They froze up for about a second before they realized what they were looking at and Hermione screeched, "I don't believe it!"

The two really did walk in on the scene at the worst possible moment. Harry was still on the ground and Professor Moony was embracing Sirius Black. "It's not what it looks like!" Harry exclaimed immediately.

Remus and Sirius jumped apart. "Hermione—" the werewolf reacted first in their defence. Sirius just back off.

"— you and him?"

"Hermione, calm down—"

"Yeah," Harry cut in, "you'll attract everybody out into the pitch!"

"I didn't tell anyone!" she shrieked, not acknowledging Harry's input, "I've been covering up for you!"

"Hermione, listen to me, please!" Moony cried back, "I can explain!"

"We trusted you! And all this time you've been his friend!"

"I haven't been Sirius's friend for twelve years! But I am now, let me explain!"

Harry laughed, "You haven't really got confirmation that you're friends again… I mean, sure that hug was friendly, but c'mon!"

Sirius laughed too, "Don't worry, Moony, I never had anything against you. I'm sorry for thinking _you _were the spy."

Moony smiled to him, "And I apologize for believing that the spy was _you._"

And then he finally noticed that Harry was sitting on the ground. He turned to him casually and he began to hep the boy up. "Harry, don't trust him," Hermione screamed. "He's been helping Black into the castle! He wants you dead too! He's a werewolf!"

There was a ringing silence. Harry broke it with, "And? I figured that out when Snape set the essay…"

"He'll be delighted! He set it hoping that somebody would notice the signs. I assume that's when you figured it out too, Hermione?"

Hermione nodded.

"Give them a chance, Hermione," Harry said with a smile, walking to Sirius's side. "If Sirius really wanted to kill me, he could have done it months ago! The only thing he tried to kill was Scabbers!"

Hermione glared at him, "How should I know how a killer's mind works? He's probably been planning it carefully and bidding his time…"

"You're mental!" Ron cried. "All three of you!"

"It makes perfect sense," Harry rolled his eyes. "Sirius here was the first person who Voldemort," everybody cringed, "would suspect of being my parents secret keeper. Why would you use somebody so obvious?" Neither Hermione nor Ron replied.

Sirius nodded, "Who would suspect weak little Peter Pettigrew of holding the lives of Lily and James and Harry?"

"Who would suspect weak little Peter Pettigrew of being a Death Eater?" Remus added.

"Then how did he manage to hide all these years if _you_ didn't kill him?" Hermione protested.

"Before the Wolfsbane Potion," Lupin began to explain, "I became a fully-fledged monster once a month. I was taken down the passageway under the Willow to the Shrieking Shack on the full moon so I couldn't hurt anybody. My friends figured this out and they decided to keep me company, so they became animagi and kept me company as animals."

"I was a big black dog," Sirius continued, "and Peter was— is— _that_ rat," he motioned to Scabbers, who was struggling in Ron's hands the entire time. "And I'll prove it."

Ron held Scabbers up to his chest and Sirius grabbed the rat impatiently. "Hand him over, Ron," Sirius demanded.

"It won't hurt him," Remus broke it. "I swear." He took a step forward.

"Get away from me, werewolf!"

Harry scowled, "Don't be prejudice, Ron. It's not the full moon for another couple of days. He's perfectly harmless."

"But he's friends with Black!"

Harry would have continued, but they were all cut off by Sirius cry of triumph. The entire time he'd been trying to pry Scabbers out of Ron's hands, and he's succeeded. "Moony, can I borrow your wand?"

Before Moony could pass it over, Harry pulled his own out and passed it to Sirius. "Why don't you two do it together?"

Sirius took the wand and Moony raised his. They both smiled at Harry, "One… two… three!"

And it began. Ron gasped and Hermione's jaw dropped as the rat began to turn into a certain dead man as it— he— began to run to the other side of the field.

"Shit!" Harry yelled and he snatched his wand from Sirius. "Stupefy!" Pettigrew fell to the ground and Harry let out a sigh of relief. "What do you say, guys? Why don't we hand him over to the Dementors?"

Remus smiled. "Yes," he agreed, "that sounds like a fitting punishment."

Sirius grunted, "As long as the cell is animagus-proof."

Hermione and Ron looked to each other and then to Sirius and Remus and Harry's confident smile, and shrugged. Harry was always right and he knew it.

Lupin cast a levitation charm on the stunned traitor and the small group trooped into the Burrow, Sirius at the back and Peter at the front.

At the sight of them, Molly fainted.

"Well, that's nice," Sirius said sarcastically. Remus and Harry rolled their eyes. He would, wouldn't he?

"Should we even wake her up?" the time-travelled wondered out loud and the werewolf nodded in response.

"Enervate," Moony cast casually and Molly jumped up.

"Sirius Black!" she shrieked, which cued the rest of the family to run in. Ginny screamed at the sight of him and Percy and the twins were at a loss of what to do. Arthur ran for the floo but Harry beat him there.

"Now you all might as well calm down. I'm flooing Dumbledore, and nobody is going to tell the ministry anything yet, okay?" They nodded, but didn't let their eyes stray from the escaped convict once.

He grabbed some powder and threw it into the fireplace. It burned green. He stuck his head in— "Dumbledore's office!"— and smiled to the headmaster sitting in the chair.

"Harry? What? Is something wrong?"

"Well… it's hard to explain, but you'd better come to the Burrow… and bring Snape and some Veritaserum."

"Veritaserum? What did you do, apprehend Sirius Black?" the Headmaster was obviously joking.

Harry didn't reply. He just pulled his head out of the fireplace and went into the kitchen, where Pettigrew lay unconscious. Sirius, who'd transformed into a dog in Harry's absence, sniffed him and wagged his tail happily.

Within two minutes, Dumbledore and Snape had arrived at the house and both of them gasped at the sight of the unexploded body.

"And this," Harry announced, "is why we need Veritaserum. Because, you know, I'm pretty sure that this guy is _supposed_ to be _dead_."

Snape was the first one of the two to react; he whipped out the Veritaserum quickly and cast, "Enervate," on the supposed-to-be-dead man and Peter snapped his eyes open. "Hello Pettigrew," he said spitefully before forcing the truth serum into his mouth. He seemed to suspect something already in Harry's opinion. Well, that, or he hated Pettigrew so much that he enjoyed it.

Harry took charge here. He knew what questions he had to ask. "Why were you hiding as a rat?"

"I was hiding as a rat because I was afraid the Dark Lord's followers would come after me."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "How are you even alive if Sirius Black killed you?"

"I faked my death to frame him."

"Of what?" the suspicious ex-Death Eater spoke with so much venom that Harry knew that he guessed why.

"Because I was the Potter's Secret Keeper and I didn't want to get sent to Azkaban."

Snape growled, "_You _sold _Lily _and Potter out to Voldemort? Not Black, _you_?"

"Yes."

Snape reached for his wand and pointed it angrily at Pettigrew, and Harry expected him to say something along the lines of 'prepare to die', but he didn't. "So then why did Black break out of prison after muttering things like '_He's at Hogwarts'_? Surely you weren't at Hogwarts."

"I _was_ at Hogwarts."

"How?" Harry demanded, wanting to get this over with. The sooner that Peter was proven absolutely guilty and Sirius innocent, the sooner he could move on with his life.

"I'm an illegal animagus. I've been hiding as a this boy's," he pointed to Ron, "pet rat."

"How did Black know that," Molly cut in.

"I don't know," Pettigrew answered.

"And where," Dumbledore cut further questions off, "is Black now?"

"Sirius is an animagus. He's right there," Pettigrew pointed to Sirius.

Sirius barked and cocked his head to the side. Everybody stared at him until he transformed back into a man. "Professorhead," he nodded politely to Dumbledore, "Snivellus," he sneered at Snape, who sneered back, "Molly, Arthur," they gave him unreadable looks, "Harry," Harry smiled, "and Company, I don't think I know all of your names…" he trailed off and then moved on to Remus, "Moony," he smiled.

Snape raised his wand to Sirius, "So, is what _Peter_," he spat the name, disgusted, "said true? Should you be administered some Veritaserum too? I'd like to know how you learned of Pettigrew's whereabouts."

Sirius engaged himself in a staring contest with his nemesis. "The newspaper. Fudge visited the prison and let me see it. Pettigrew was sitting on one of the boy's shoulders. It said they were going to Hogwarts. Where Harry is," he snapped. The people who knew the two despised each other rolled their eyes at their antics.

"So…" Harry said after a moment, "have I ever explained to you guys that Sirius never had a trial, so he's not legally a convict?"

And Dumbledore said, "Why isn't that a nice little loophole. Mr. Black, you'll be a free man by Valentine's Day, and I'm sure the Ministry will give you some compensation for those twelve years in Azkaban. Severus," he looked over to Snape, who was still in his staring contest with Sirius, "Will you stun Pettigrew and come with me to the Ministry?"

Snape nodded, and not breaking his gaze on Sirius, he stunned Pettigrew and followed the headmaster out of the room.

"So…" said Sirius awkwardly as they left, "how about that, huh?"


	17. Warp 1, Year 4, Part 1

Yes, there is a giant time-skip here. Why? Because nothing interesting happened in third year that I can't fill you in on here. It's longer than usual (about 4500 words), and I hope you like it!

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And---_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

You know the drill about time skips.

* * *

Thanks to _swanpride_ for being my plot beta!

* * *

**Book 4, Chapter 2: The Scar; Chapter 7: Bagman and Crouch; Chapter 9: The Dark Mark; Chapter 10: Aboard the Hogwarts Express; Chapter 12: The Triwizard Tournament**

**Warp 1, Year 4 (part 1), Chapter 16: Summer Ending**

* * *

Harry woke up with his scar aching, and the first thought that passed through his head was that it probably wasn't a good thing. He was filled with a mysterious bitter happiness that was obviously not his own. He sighed, keeping his eyes closed and his mind clear. He wasn't the best Occlumens around, and he learned after Voldemort's death, so he wasn't sure he could stop the pain in his forehead; he still tried, though.

The throbbing subsided, but only a little bit— enough for him to ignore it, at least.

He walked down the stairs into the kitchen, where Sirius was humming Michael Jackson's _Beat It_ as he fried some eggs. Number Twelve Grimmauld Place was looking much brighter than it did when Harry and Sirius moved in, although they hadn't finished their cleaning. It was mid-July and they'd managed to clean out the main living spaces and two bedrooms, and lighten up the halls. It didn't fee as musty as it was when Harry first saw it in fifth year, and he wondered idly how two men managed to do a better job than Molly Weasley and her merry band of cleaners. Of course, it was taking the two a longer time.

He didn't tell Sirius about the pain in his scar. He didn't want anybody to believe that he had a connection with Voldemort. After all, it leads to many hours being bombarded by Snape's powerful Legilimency— the last thing he wanted was Snape to see memories of things that hadn't happened. Like his own death.

That definitely wouldn't be good.

"Should we start on the Drawing Room today or some more bedrooms?" Sirius questioned Harry without looking away from his cooking. "I'd be happy if I never set foot in the Drawing Room again, myself, but I don't think it'd be safe to leave a room for Doxies to breed…"

Harry sighed, "You're just worried the house wouldn't sell with a room full or Doxies."

Sirius gave him a playful smile, "You caught me on that one, Prongslet." Harry rolled his eyes. He didn't know how this man managed to win custody of the precious _saviour _of the wizarding world. Actually, he kind of did. Sirius pretty much had the entire Ministry at his beck and call, and almost the entire wizarding world would much rather Harry taken care of by a possibly mentally unstable pureblood than neglectful muggles.

The press went crazy for the story when Harry released it, and his plan had worked. All he had to do was let it _slip_ to Rita Skeeter that the Dursleys didn't quite treat him right to get pretty much the entire wizarding world on Sirius's side of the custody battle between Sirius and Albus Dumbledore (allegedly representing the Dursleys, though Harry knew better).

"I think we should start with the Drawing Room. We might find something cool." Like maybe a piece of Voldemort's soul…

Sirius turned away from the sizzling eggs and gave Harry a dry look. "This is the Black House, Harry," he said plainly. "Everything that could possibly be _Dark_ is." The man turned back to the food and jumped back. "It's burning!" he exclaimed, not knowing what he should do.

Harry rolled his eyes and walked over to the stove. He turned it off. "Sirius," he said as he filled a cup with water and poured into the pan to cool it down, "how many times do I have to tell you to let me do the cooking?"

Sirius looked down at the floor, ashamed. "What kind of parent makes his child cook for him? I don't want to be a bad guardian…"

"I'd rather cook and eat well then let you cook and eat burnt food. Burning it pretty much removes all nutritional value, you know," Harry took the spatula out of Sirius's hand and used it to scrape the burnt eggs into the garbage. He tossed the pan into the sink, "Sirius, clean that," and took four more eggs out. Pouring them into a mixing bowl, he complained, "Why can't you just stop wasting food?" and began to stir. "Let's start simple. This is how you make scrambled eggs. You break them into a bowl, mix well…" he trailed off as he snatched the clean pan out of his guardian's hand, "pour, and fry. It's easier than what you were trying to do."

"Don't blame me for never having to cook for myself before," Sirius sighed and took a seat at the large table. It was much too large for just two people.

"Anyways," Harry changed the subject while he began to work on some bacon, "what do you say about getting some electricity in here? I'd love a toaster and a tele…"

Sirius sighed, "Nah. There's probably charms against somebody not blood related owning the house…"

"Well, that doesn't rule out many people," Harry joked, "you know, besides muggles and muggle-borns…"

Sirius shrugged, "Too true," he agreed,

Harry scraped the eggs onto two plates and did the same with the bacon. He handed a plate to Sirius and sat across from him with his own. "Are you going to get us tickets for the World Cup?" he inquired.

"Yeah, I wrote the Ministry last night; requested Top Box seats. Three."

"Me, you, and Moony?"

Sirius nodded. "Arthur tells me that he managed to get tickets from Bagman," he announced. "Definitely not as good as ours, though." So they didn't get Top Box seats? Harry wondered why.

"Do you think The Weasleys will be able to take Hermione or Neville or Luna?"

Sirius shrugged. "He didn't say how many seats he got, just that he got seats. Write to Ron about it."

As far as Harry knew, Luna would be going with her father and Hermione definitely wouldn't go if the Weasleys didn't take her. If he recalled correctly, Neville and his Gran didn't go to the Cup, but the Weasleys might not bring him. Hermione's ticket was previously Mrs. Weasley's because she decided not to go, and they might not get an extra ticket if they weren't bringing _Harry Potter_.

They finished eating their breakfast quickly and began to walk up the stairs into the Hallway of Doom, as they'd affectionately named it. The leering faces of passed House Elves stared down at them and Harry realized, "Why don't we just remove that whole section of the wall and replace it before painting?"

That was the key to brightening up the house. Repainting. They'd turned the living room into a forest green and the kitchen to a bright, very light blue. It worked wonders on the musty, dark coloured house.

Phineas Nigellus waved at them as they passed and Harry waved back, although Sirius gave him an annoyed look. Phineas made it painfully obvious that he was spying on them for Dumbledore.

They entered the room and Harry began his mission; he had to find the Locket and pocket it without Sirius noticing. He took the Doxy Spray from Sirius and began to clean.

* * *

"This sucks," Sirius dropped the tent post and sat down on the muddy ground of the campsite. "Why can't we just use magic, again?"

Harry rolled his eyes. This was the third time he'd done that since they'd started pitching the tent, and he too wished they could just magic it up. "Because of the Statute of Secrecy," he explained for the third time.

And for the third time, Sirius replied, "But they have to obliviate the muggles seven times a day anyways, what's one more person waving a wand around?"

"Can we at least try to pretend to care about following the laws? A lot of people still think that you're a mass murderer…"

And for the third time, Sirius stood back up and they continued their work. It was hard to instruct a pureblood how to perform simple tasks that muggles managed easily, such as pitching a tent.

Eventually they managed, and the two decided to go look for the Weasleys and the Lovegoods. Harry planned to make a bet on the outcome of match. To his knowledge, he hadn't done anything to change the outcome of the game.

When he spotted a campsite with four familiar redheads and a bushy-haired girl crowded around the fire pit, he knew he'd found his targets. He tiptoed up to them and whispered, "Boo," in Hermione's ear. She literally jumped forward— into the fire.

She screamed and jumped out of the fire quickly, stopping both her feet, almost in a marching motion. After a minute she slowed down and finally stopped. She stepped out of her shoes and sat down on the ground, rubbing her feet with her hands.

"That hurt," she announced as she removed her socks to reveal that her feet were bright red; they were slightly burned, maybe in the first-degree, and Mr Weasley immediately sprang into action.

"I'm sorry," Harry told her carefully while Arthur treated her feet with a magical salve. Hermione just nodded. After a moment he looked away from her. "Anyways," he said, "the reason I came was to place a bet with anybody who was willing to take one."

The group had gathered around the commotion and Harry noted that Neville wasn't present, and neither was Mrs. Weasley.

The twins rose their hands and Harry shook his head, "Not you two. You think that Krum will get the snitch and Ireland will win, don't you?" They nodded. "Well, I'm planning on betting on the same thing."

Bill and Charlie both smiled, "Don't make a sucker's bet, Harry," Charlie said, "but if you're sure…"

Bill nodded, "I'll take that offer too."

"Twenty galleons?"

"You got it," Charlie laughed. "Twenty on Bulgaria."

Bill shrugged, "I've got it on Ireland… with their seeker catching the snitch, of course."

Harry gave them a wide smile. Maybe it was a bit unfair that he already knew the results, but it's only wrong if you get caught, right?

* * *

The Top Box felt a lot more crowded this time around, because most of the people in it were either Bulgarian or Irish. The only people Harry knew besides Sirius and Remus were Bagman, Winky, Fudge, and the Malfoys. He took his seat beside a certain Slytherin, Sirius sat on his right and Moony to his. On the other side of Moony was a Bulgarian couple, and on the other side of the Malfoys was Fudge— who was trying to mime things to the Bulgarian Minister of Magic.

Luckily for Harry, Winky and Junior were on the other side of the box.

He thought the match would bore him, but it didn't. He didn't remember much about the match the first time, besides the outcome, that is, so he thoroughly enjoyed the details. He noted how great the Irish were at flying and watched Krum's moves calculatingly.

"Taking notes, Potter?" Malfoy teased him at one point as he rewound his Omnioculars to watch a certain move of the seeker's again. He was doing the exact same thing though, so Harry just smirked at him.

"Right, Malfoy, right."

Harry also noted that the Bulgarians beside Moony were extremely supportive of Krum. When he did his Wronski Feint, the two were the loudest in the box.

The game ended and Harry excitedly exited the box, laughing as the crowd bumped and shoved in their eagerness to get out of the cramped space and party.

He almost fell down the stairs and onto on the Weasleys a couple levels below the Top Box. They noticed him right away and pulled him into the group.

"Don't tell your mother you've been gambling," Arthur implored Fred and George as the group made their way down the purple-carpeted stairs. "You three shouldn't say anything either," he looked over to Bill, Charlie, and Harry. The two eldest Weasleys were digging into their pockets for their galleons, handing them over to Harry as they descended.

"What have I told you about gambling, Harry?" Sirius added supportively.

"Never do it around Mrs. Weasley or tell her when I have," Harry recited. Sirius had all but made him write lines of it— he really didn't want Molly to catch him being a bad parent.

"Good boy."

Ron rolled his eyes and Bill handed over the last galleon. "Want to come to our after party, you two?" asked Charlie. "We've already invited the Lovegoods."

"Sure," Harry said with a smile.

He'd completely forgotten about what would happen later that night, and just enjoyed himself. He didn't check for his wand— he didn't know if it was there or not.

When the chaos started Harry was still awake, even though the Weasley family had already gone to sleep. He was chasing somebody's snitch down the dirt roads of the campsite with Malfoy when the Death Eaters began to play.

The two stopped dead in their tracks and Malfoy cursed. Most people were too drunk to realize that the two enemies were playing a game together, but Lucius was part of the mob and he was likely to recognize his son with Harry Potter. With one last glance at his fellow time-traveller, Malfoy took off towards the forest.

Harry reached into his pocket to draw his wand, but it wasn't there. He was sure he wouldn't have dropped it and he sat far away from Junior during the game… when did he have a chance to snatch it? His first instinct to stun the Death Eaters definitely couldn't be acted upon, so Harry took off after Malfoy.

By the time Harry reached the forest he'd caught up with Malfoy. They ran in stride for a minute or two before slowing to a walk.

"I'm tired," Harry announced as they trekked deeper into the forest.

Malfoy nodded and yawned. "Shouldn't you be off finding your precious _trio_?" he inquired after he'd finished yawning.

Harry shrugged, "They should be just fine on their own…" He trailed off when he recognized voices ahead.

"Tripped over a tree root," Ron was saying angrily.

A certain Slytherin beside him called up to him, "With feet that size, it'd be hard not to!"

Harry hit him lightly, "Don't be mean, Malfoy. What's Ron ever done to you?"

"Do you honestly expect me to answer that?" Malfoy sneered. Harry smiled and began to nod, but changed his mind halfway through and shook his head. "I thought not."

"Anyways, we'd better move further in," Harry sighed, not acknowledging the knowing smirk on Malfoy's face. "They might come over here and considering _his_," he gave a pointed look at Malfoy, "parents are out there, they probably know you're a muggleborn."

Malfoy scoffed. "My mother's not out there, Potter," he denied. "And don't you pretend that they wouldn't love to have a go on you, either."

"I can defend myself…"

He raised an eyebrow, "Without a wand?" Harry opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. The Slytherin had a very good point. He didn't have his wand. He closed his mouth. "Exactly," Malfoy rolled his eyes.

"…how did you know that?" Harry whispered quickly.

He whispered back, "Did you ever even look at those biographies—"

"I mean how do you know I don't have it_ now_?"

"If you did, you would have stunned them all instead of running into the woods with me," he explained, still in a hushed whisper. Then he laughed in his regular volume, "C'mon Potter, how could you loose your _wand_, of all things." The subject of his teasing rolled his eyes and didn't respond. Of course Malfoy would laugh. Of course.

They all stood in silence for a moment. Harry turned to his friends and noticed they were eyeing their enemy warily. "Are you going to come with us, Malfoy?" Harry inquired. Malfoy shook his head.

"I think I'll stay here, thank you very much." Obviously, Malfoy remembered that the Dark Mark would be summoned and didn't want it to be hastily blamed on him.

"Understandable," Harry replied, trying to let the other time-traveller know that he knew what he was getting into. Malfoy nodded a confirmation; he got the message.

"Let's go then," Ron snapped. "Bye _Malfoy_," he spat out and took the lead. Hermione took up the position directly behind him and Harry took up the rear, giving his almost-friend— well, more like almost-not-enemy— a final glance.

"Where's everybody else?"

Ron shrugged at Harry's question. "We just lost the twins and Ginny, and we haven't seen Luna around."

The path was full of worried people. Harry noticed some girls who would come to Hogwarts from Beauxbatons that year out of the corner of his eye. A little ways away from the group he noticed Fleur and Gabrielle Delecour. He almost gave them a friendly smile, but he caught himself in time. He wasn't supposed to know them at all, let alone be friendly with them.

In the distance, a jet of green was shot into the clouds and a familiar mark shaped into the sky. Harry almost panicked; it was a habit for him to rush to anywhere the Dark Mark was set off. When he'd become an Auror right after the war, many loose Death Eaters or Death Eaters' children would set the mark over their kills.

Harry did take off running, though, as fast as he could towards it. They weren't that far from it, and Harry arrived just after the people of the Ministry.

"What the bloody hell…?" Harry announced his presence and they looked over to him. "I was just a little bit over there and…"

"Harry," Arthur snapped at him, "this has nothing to do with you!"

"But that's the Dark Mark," he protested. "And I'm Harry Potter. Of course this has to do with me!"

"No, it doesn't!"

"Yes, it does!"

"We've found somebody in the bushed over here!" Amos Diggory shouted, pulling out Winky.

From behind Harry, Hermione said, "You guys can't seriously think that a house-elf did this?"

Harry nodded his agreement. "It requires a wand, doesn't it?"

"Yes," Amos sighed, "but she had a wand." He brandished it at the elf's face angrily.

"That's my wand," Harry gasped, though not really surprised. "I lost it!"

* * *

The night before Harry left for Hogwarts and the morning of was a lot less hectic when there wasn't ten other people running around. They weren't at the Weasley's, so Harry was packed and ready to go by eight in the morning. Sirius took Harry's bag through the floo and Harry took his Firebolt and Hedwig. They were over at the Weasleys by nine o'clock to help everybody else get ready.

"Arthur! Arthur! Urgent message from the Ministry!" Molly called not two minutes after they arrived. Harry caught a bit of the conversations as he ran up the stairs to help Ginny, who'd been calling down the stairs for somebody to carry down her too-heavy bag. According to the call, Moody _was_ attacked and impersonated this time around.

It was hectic. Everybody was running in different directions and running into each other. Items were flying around— courtesy of Bill and Charlie, who were helping everybody find their missing things by summoning them. The only calm one was Percy.

"Mr. Crouch is really starting to rely on me," Percy was telling an uninterested Sirius.

"Yeah," Sirius agreed without a hint of sarcasm, "I recon he'll know your name soon."

Soon enough though, all insults were aside and they all jammed up into the old flying Ford. Harry said to Sirius, "Next year we're going to the station by ourselves."

"But Harry," Ginny opposed, "this is tradition!"

"Yeah, but the amount of space in this car seems to become less and less every year…"

She groaned, "Just deal with it, Potter, it's a tradition!" Obviously, she's been getting over her crush much easier than last time. That was a good thing. The sooner she was over her crush the sooner he could get to know her.

Right?

The car ride was just a chaotic as everything else around the Weasley family. Mr. Weasley was driving and he was fully licensed, so they didn't go through anything like last Christmas.

They arrived at the train station just on time, ran through the barrier, and waved their goodbyes, which consisted of an "I might be seeing you all sooner than you think," from Charlie and an "I wish I was back at Hogwarts this year— I might come and watch some of it," concurrence from Bill.

Ginny wrinkled her eyebrows, confused. "Some of what?" she asked, giving them curious stares. The two just laughed.

As soon as they were on the train, Harry announced, "Hogwarts is hosting the Triwizard Tournament."

Hermione, who had just caught up with them, gasped. "No! What gave you that idea, Harry?"

Malfoy snorted as he passed them in the hall and Harry hit him lightly. "Leave her alone," he scolded with a smile. "It's not like she can tell the future or anything."

Malfoy just shrugged at him— almost as to tell him he didn't care what Harry said— and walked away, telling Crabbe, "My dad nearly sent me to Drumstrang."

"You know," Harry called after him, "you wouldn't have been able to watch the Tournament if you went there! They only take potential champions with them!"

Malfoy called back to him without looking, "I'd rather not watch you steal everybody's limelight, Potter!"

"You know you love me!"

"Whatever you want to believe, Potter!" he yelled his final words before slipping into a compartment.

"We'd better find a compartment," said Hermione. The large group shrugged and followed her lead into their usual one.

They entered the Great Hall dripping wet and Harry thoughtlessly cast a silent drying spell on them. "You guys have got to learn some practical spells," he told them.

Hermione replied wearily, "We're just getting back. It's not our fault we're not thinking of magic as the first solution to everything— it's the under-age magic law. We've barely touched our wands in two months."

Harry shrugged, "That thing _is_ a pain…" Maybe there was a way he could remove it? Or maybe he could ask Sirius about how it worked. Dumbledore _did_ mention something about it only picking up that there was magic around him, not who was casting it, in sixth year, did he not?

"Hey look," said Luna as they all sat down at the Gryffindor table. "There's no new teacher for Defence up there." She pointed to the empty seat and the Dream Team's eyes gave a curious glow. Of course they would jump at the first possible mystery after the uneventful second half of third year.

"Probably late," Ron told her after a moment, looking slightly less excited than before. Harry nodded. The fake Moody would barge it. He did like lots of attention, after all.

Harry momentarily wondered how Voldemort's plan was in play without Peter around to baby Voldemort. He must have somebody with him if Barty Crouch Jr. was at Hogwarts…

He looked around the room lazily. Malfoy was looking extremely annoyed and Harry considered offering his enemy a permanent truce— he was probably starving for intelligent conversation. Harry had Hermione to keep him sane, but Malfoy only had Crabbe and Goyle.

Soon enough, the nervous first years came into the hall with McGonagall and the hat broke out into song. It was the exact same song he sung in fourth year last year (Not that Harry expected it to be different) and Dennis Creevy was sorted into Gryffindor.

"See, Dennis, that's _Harry Potter_," Colin whispered and pointed to Harry when his brother sat down and he waved at him.

"I fell in the lake, Colin," Dennis said, thrilled. "And something grabbed me and put me back in the boat. It was brilliant!"

"It was probably the Giant Squid."

Harry turned his attention away from the two and back to his immideate group of friends. Nearly Headless Nick had arrived and was conversing with his favourite Gryffindors. "I hope this year's Gryffindors are up to snuff," he said, looking at over-excited Dennis and the others.

Harry shrugged, "We can't break our winning streak with _me_ around, can we? I'll always pull some kind of stunt that'll win us a bunch of house points."

"True," Nick and Hermione agreed in unison.

"But what did we do last year?" This question came from Luna, who received some weird looks at her use of the word _we_. She was still a Ravenclaw, no matter how much time she'd spent with the Gryffindors.

"We got a hundred points or so for finding the truth about Sirius and apprehending Pettigrew…"

Ron snorted, "I think Dumbledore's just finding excuses to give the Cup to Gryffindor." His mouth was full when he spoke and Hermione grimaced.

Nick rolled his eyes. "You're lucky there's even a feast tonight."

"Peeves wrecking havoc?" Harry questioned.

"Yeah, pots and pans everywhere, place was swimming in soup—"

"Poor house-elves," Harry sighed, momentarily forgetting about Hermione's house-elf crusade that he could've stopped. She dropped her fork with a clang.

"There are house-elves here? At Hogwarts?" she gasped, horror-struck.

"Largest number together in Britain," said the time-traveller passively, pretending not to notice that she'd pushed her plate away and thrown her fork onto the floor.

"They get paid, right?" she gasped, "And sick leaves and pensions and…" She was cut off by the laughing of a certain house ghost.

"What," he asked, "would _house-elves_ want with _sick leaves _and _pensions_?" His laughter kept getting harder and Harry was under the impression that she thought he was joking.

"Slave labour," she growled at the discarded plate. "This meal was made by slave labour…"

Harry groaned. He could've stopped this! Sure, it would be great when she fixed all the racist policies in the Ministry— it was great last time— but this wasn't the way that she should be going about it.

Maybe he could just let her try? After all, he didn't want to be the one to get between _Hermione Granger_ and _non-pureblood's rights_…


	18. Warp 1, Year 4, Part 2

I once again have to appologize for my tardiness. I've not a lot of time on my hands recently, so cross your fingers that Chapter 18 will be finished by this time next week.

And I'd like to thank all my reviewers thus far for being supportive.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And---_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

Thanks to _swanpride_ for being my plot beta!

* * *

**Book 4, Chapter 13: Mad Eye Moody; Chapter 14: The Unforgivable Curses**

**Warp 1, Year 4 (part 2), Chapter 17: Missing **

* * *

When Harry saw the Blast-Ended Skrewts he instinctively backed away. After all, he remembered how big they were when they grew up. Malfoy seemed to think the same thing, because he too backed out of the group and eyed the castle calculatingly.

Harry just wanted out of the class, and he already regretted taking it again when he could've taken something new. The only thing that kept him from dropping it that instant was the fact that Hagrid would feel insulted. The class did get better when Grumbly-Plank was substituting, but he pushed away that thought.

"Let's get out of here," Malfoy whispered in his ear when Harry accidentally ran into him. Harry looked to him and nodded, not wanting to draw attention to him position by speaking. He pulled out his invisibility cloak from his back pocket and discreetly slipped it over himself and the other time-traveller. The two began to creep away.

"Why'd you even take that class?" Harry mumbled as they walked into the Entrance Hall, slipping off the cloak.

"_Father_," for some reason, instead of saying the word in the admiring tone he used to, he spat it out, "thought it would be useful. He didn't know that the oaf would be teaching it..." Malfoy trailed off. He and his father must have fought recently.

"But you did."

"My _father_," he spat out the word once again, "doesn't know about _that_."

Teasingly, Harry replied, "Sounds like somebody has issues with their father."

"At least I have one," the blonde snapped back. Apparently, his father was a soft spot, and Harry noted not to bring him up anytime soon. He wondered what kind of fight they must have had.

The two didn't part, walking up the stairs to the Room of Requirement in silence. Harry let Malfoy pace back and fourth and think about what he wanted. Harry found himself in the Room of Hidden Things. Harry took a seat on a random leather couch and said, "Why this room?"

"I asked for something that could entertain us until lunch," Malfoy explained. "We did say last year that we could make a hobby out of exploring this place…"

Harry laughed, "I _knew_ this room was alive!" Malfoy rolled his eyes. "By the way, I've got the Locket in my trunk."

"You haven't destroyed it yet?"

He shrugged, "No. I mean, last time it made a fuss when we tried to stab it with the Sword of Gryffindor… maybe we could do that now?"

"I'll stay here while you go get it, then." Harry nodded and took off at top speed out of the door, pulling it and the door not budging. "It's a push," Malfoy reminded him and he pushed it open.

Harry ran out into the Grand Staircase and ran up to the seventh floor and towards the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Shouldn't you be in class," she scolded and Harry ignored her. He said the password and she swung open. He slipped in and up to his dormitory.

Taking the locket, he sprinted back to the Room of Requirement. All was well until he literally ran into Snape on his way down the stairs. He knocked the Potion's Master down a whole flight of stairs, tumbling after him.

Snape stood back up, brushed off his robes, and glared at him. "Mr. Potter…" he said in a threatening tone. "Why are you not in class?"

Harry gave him a sheepish smile. "Well, funny story actually… see, Hagrid's acquired some Blast-Ended Skrewts for Care of Magical Creatures… they looked really dangerous, so I just kind of—"

Snape growled, "Detention, Mr. Potter. Be in my classroom tonight at seven."

Harry looked down and nodded. He should have expected that. Snape turned around and, robes billowing, he began to walk down the stairs.

More slowly, he continued to walk to the Room.

"I ran into Snape," Harry announced as he entered. Malfoy shrugged. The Gryffindor sighed. "No, I mean I literally _ran into_ Snape and knocked him down a flight of stairs."

Malfoy began to laugh. "When's your detention then?"

"Tonight."

"Have fun, Potter," he continued to laugh. "Now show me that Horcrux."

"Right here." Harry reached into his right pocket and felt around. There was nothing in his right pocket. He flipped it out and nothing fell to the ground. "That's weird. I could swear I put it in my right pocket." He did the same to the left. Nothing.

"Did you leave it in the tower by accident," Malfoy taunted.

Harry shook his head. "Of course not," he denied. Then, worried, he said, "I must've dropped in when I fell down the stairs…"

"You _fell_?"

He nodded and Malfoy cracked up again. "This isn't funny, Malfoy. There's a piece of Voldemort's soul lying around the school. What if somebody picks it up before we get there?" The Slytherin quieted down at that scenario. Obviously, he remembered the potential of Horcruxes too well. Not to mention that they would have to actually _find _it, and that wouldn't make their job any easier.

Harry wondered when he started thinking of it as 'their' job. Malfoy wasn't planning on making it his job, after all. "Let's just go get it _now_," he said hurriedly and Malfoy nodded his agreement.

Without a second to loose, the two ran out into the staircases, Harry in the lead. They made their way to where Harry knocked down Snape and fell after him and began to search.

"It's not here!" Harry exclaimed with fright and worry leaking into his voice after they searched the area.

"Maybe somebody kicked it off," the other time-traveller suggested. "We should search from here down."

Willing to do anything to get that locket back, Harry agreed.

But it wasn't there.

"What about the lost and found?" he suggested in desperation. "Maybe somebody found it and put it there…"

Filch's Lost and Found had an old wireless, a jumper that looked like it was from the fifties (and probably was), and an American baseball card, but no locket. Harry hadn't really expected it to be there. After all, everybody avoided Filch at all costs. Very few people actually handed in things they found to Filch, and very few people checked for things they lost there. Sometimes a brave student would look in it to see if he had anything interesting, but he never did.

The two entered the Great Hall for lunch together, both looking crestfallen. They both took a seat at the Gryffindor table; much to Harry's surprise. Ron made a face from his seat directly across the table from Harry.

"What's he doing here?"

Harry shrugged, "I don't know. Why are you here?" he looked to Malfoy.

Malfoy shrugged, "I'd rather sit here than with Crabbe and Goyle. They're tiring." Ron groaned.

"Well," Hermione stuffed the last bit of food into her mouth. "I'm going to the—"

"Library," Ron, Neville, and Harry finished for her. She nodded excitedly, stood up, and ran out of the Great Hall. The boys of the Dream Team rolled their eyes.

At the Slytherin table across the hall, Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson were snickering over a copy of the Daily Prophet. What had Rita Skeeter written this early in the year? Harry didn't remember any articles about himself, and he was sure he remembered them all. Well, all in fourth year, anyways.

"There was an article that mentioned your father this morning, Weasel-King," Malfoy said. Harry elbowed him; that insult must have made no sense to Ron. "They couldn't even get his name right. It's almost as if he's a nonentity."

Oh. It was the article about Moody making a fuss and the Ministry having to obliviate a couple or police officers. Ron clenched his fist. Harry rolled his eyes. "Cool down, Ron. Just ignore him."

"Why should I ignore him? He comes over here and _insults me_!" Ron stood up in anger and yelled it out. Everybody was looking over at them now.

Malfoy smirked. "There was a picture too. Your parents outside your… well, I can't even call it a house."

Harry slugged him in the shoulder. "Malfoy, their house is definitely way better than yours. More interesting."

"But it's so small!"

"If everybody lives in _manors_ then it wouldn't be so special, would it?"

"Shut up!" Ron yelled. "How can you just take that git's insults like that?"

Malfoy frowned. "I'll just leave then, Weasel-King. Potter, you should learn to keep your _pets_ in check." On that note, he stood up and began to walk across the room. All eyes were on him. Except, apparently, Moody's… well, Junior's, that is.

"OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDY!"

Harry's head snapped over to the boy behind him. Ron's wand was drawn and it was pointing slightly to Harry's right and directly at Malfoy's back for a whole millisecond before a red ferret was in his place. The Slytherin table burst out into peals of laughter.

"Did he get you," the fake Moody asked Malfoy. Malfoy, wide-eyed, shook his head.

"He hadn't cast anything yet, sir," Harry told him. "He hadn't done anything—"

"_Yet_," Junior cut him off. For a fake, he did a pretty good job at impersonating Moody. He began to wave his wand up and down, causing ferret-Ron to bounce up and down, just like Malfoy had done in the last timeline. Poor Ron. The Slytherins would never let that go, just like the Gryffindors never let it go on Malfoy the last time. "I don't like people who even think about attacking when somebody's back is turned."

Harry couldn't help but laugh at his friend. No matter who it was, it was funny. It was funnier when it was his nemesis, though.

Malfoy wasn't laughing though, even though Harry would have thought he'd be the one laughing the most. He couldn't name the expression in his eyes.

"Never. Do. That. Again."

"Professor Moody!" Finally, the shocked staff members at the Head Table had recovered from their shock at Junior's actions. McGonagall was the one who yelled out to him, "We never use transfiguration as a punishment at Hogwarts. Surely Albus would have mentioned—" she looked over to Dumbledore.

"He might've said something…" he trailed off. "I thought a good sharp shock—"

"We give detentions, Alastor, or have talks with their Head of House" Dumbledore spoke up. "Minerva could have dealt with it herself, she was right there."

Moody grumbled, "She wouldn't have done anything until her student had cast a curse on the other brat."

Dumbledore ignored him, but McGonagall shot him an offended look.

"Are you okay, Ron?" Luna asked the quivering ferret, drawing McGonagall's attention back to the fact that Ron hadn't been transfigured back yet. She cast the spell and Ron was back.

After a moment or two, the entire student body went back to their normal discussions. Ron whispered, "We won't ever speak of that again."

Sensing his friend's discomfort, Harry changed the subject. "So, how 'bout that weather."

When Harry entered the dungeon classroom for his detention that evening Snape was sitting at his desk looking at an essay, clutching his left arm. His eyes weren't moving, but they weren't focusing either. "Sir…" said Harry as careful as he could. If anything, his Potion's Master was displaying an expression of shock. Had his Mark just burned? Maybe just throbbed of tingled because Voldemort was gaining strength?

Snape looked up to him, and his face returned to its usual scowl. "Potter," he acknowledged him. "You'll be cleaning dirty cauldrons today. Without magic." He motioned to a stack of cauldrons and a sink in the corner of the room and then went back to the essay. It was obvious he was actually reading it now, because his eyes were traveling across the page and his quill was marking mistakes.

So Harry began. His civil start with Snape had obviously been ruined by one thing or another. Be it his heroic exploits or the fact he was living with Sirius now. The work was definitely long and boring, but not hard. Harry had lots of experience with dishes, and it just felt routine to be scrubbing away the unknown substances. Some potions stuck to the pewter and he'd soak them like he would sticky food.

When Snape looked to see Harry's progress he said, "I said no magic, Potter."

Harry just continued. "I didn't."

Snape paused a moment before accepting the answer. Harry smiled to himself. He must have remembered how Petunia acted and made his own conclusion about Harry's speed. Probably the right one too.

No more words were spoken until after Harry finished. When he did, Snape nodded, "You can go now."

Harry paused and looked over to Snape. "Sir…"

"What is it now, Potter?"

"I accidentally dropped something when I ran into you. You didn't pick it up, by any chance?" He knew it wasn't the smartest thing to say, but he needed to know. He really hoped he did.

"No," he snapped.

Harry left, worried. If Snape didn't pick it up, who did? He really hoped it wasn't Dumbledore, because he could figure out what it was pretty quick. If it was a student it wouldn't be good either. A girl would be likely to wear it, after all, and he couldn't predict how it would affect whoever did.

He reached the tower before he knew it and entered. Without saying anything to anybody, he went to bed. He didn't know what to do next over the missing locket, and he really didn't want to talk to anybody in the mood he was in.

* * *

On Thursday they had Defense Against the Dark Arts, a class that Neville and Hermione were looking forward to, but Harry and Ron were not. How could Ron? His first real impression of Moody was being turned into a ferret and bounced around (which the Slytherins brought up every time they saw him). As for Harry, there were two reasons he didn't want to go. One was that, while Junior knew his stuff, Harry knew everything and would rather not watch a Death Eater torture spiders.

The second wasn't really directly connected to the class itself. Harry still hadn't found the loose Horcrux, and he wanted to spend his time looking for it instead of listening to teachers talking about things he already knew.

The only class worth going to was Potions, and that was because he wasn't doing so great in it anymore. He was doing well, sure, but it was harder and the quality of potions was going down. Sure, he could easily brew first to third year potions, but that was because they were _too_ easy. Fourth year was when things started to get more complicated, and he knew he probably wouldn't get an O on his Potion OWL. He hoped Slughorn would be back in sixth year again, or he was doomed.

The Dream Team— minus Luna, of course— took their seats in the Defense room and waited for fake Moody to start. "So, straight to curses—" he began his long speech. Harry thought of it as Junior's first screw up. The real Moody wouldn't have made a long speech on it like Junior was doing. Moody was really blunt, and Junior seemed to be dragging the point out.

"So, any of you know curses that are most heavily punished by wizarding law?"

A few reluctant hands rose. Moody pointed to Ron. "Er… my dad told me about one… the Imperius Curse… or something…"

"Yes, your father would know that one. It gave the Ministry a lot of trouble at one time."

Junior pulled out the spider and Harry had to close his eyes in disgust. He hated the Imperius Curse as much as the other two. It sickened him that he was able to perform it under dire circumstances. He knew all the times he did it was absolutely necessary, but it was still a very peculiar feeling to know he— or anybody— had the power to control somebody with the flick of their wand.

People were laughing. "Think it's funny, do you?" Moody snapped. "You'd like it, would you, if I did it to you?" The laughter died down instantly. Harry opened his eyes. "Total control. I could make it jump out the window, drown itself, or throw itself down your throats." Ron shuddered.

"The Imperius can be fought, and I'll be teaching you how." Harry knew fighting the Imperius couldn't really be taught in the ways that Moody did. He came out of the class the only one able to do it, after all.

Maybe he could start the DA a year early?

Moody called upon Neville for the Cruciatus and Harry couldn't help but grab his friend's hand supportively and squeeze it. He looked at him in shock and Harry gave him a supportive smile.

"The Cruciatus Curse," Moody began again, "needs to be a bit bigger for you to get the idea." He raised his wand, "Engrogrio."

Harry whispered in Neville's ear, "Close your eyes," and he complied.

"Crucio."

Even though he couldn't see it, his hand tightened in Harry's in fear and the other clenched. Harry was sure that Neville was cutting of the circulation in his hands. Keeping his eyes right on Neville, he gave it a moment before telling Junior, "Stop it!" loudly.

He lifted his wand away and the spider stopped shaking violently, but it still twitched. Harry couldn't help but shudder. He remembered the feel of the Cruciatus all too well.

He really needed to find that Horcrux. What if Junior had picked it up? He wouldn't have known what it was, but he must be able to recognize the design on it as something of Slytherin's… and if he found something like that, it was likely he'd had it over to his master.

"And the last?"

Harry decided to raise his hand. Predictably, he was called upon. "Avada Kedavera, the killing curse." He spoke in such a blunt, matter of fact voice. Everybody had whispered but him and Ron and Neville looked at him like he was brave for speaking the way he did.

"The last and the worse."

Harry didn't want to watch a Death Eater kill spiders either, and he looked away until after the deed was done. Just the words brought back bad memories. His parents screams, Cedric's eyes, Dumbledore falling… falling…

"Not nice, not pleasant, and there's no counter-curse. No blocking. Only one person has ever survived it, and he's sitting right in front of me."

* * *

"Spew…" Neville read the badge Hermione handed him that night in the common room. "What's this about?"

"Not Spew. S— P— E— W. The Society or Promotion of Elfish Welfare."

Ron shrugged. "Never heard of it."

"Well of course you haven't. I only just made it."

"Yeah," Harry laughed, "How many members are there? And please note that I am not going to join and House-elf crusade, so you can count me out. Sorry."

"Well, why not?" she asked angrily.

Harry shrugged. "They like being enslaved. Sirius and I have Kreacher, you know, and although he's not the picture of sanity or loyalty to us, he'd rather be a slave then free."

"What about Dobby, huh?" she asked.

"He's a nutjob."

Hermione growled at him, "Look at Winky then. Look at the way Mr. Crouch was treating her!"

Harry groaned, "His elf was just discovered with a wand! That's illegal, Hermione, and Crouch is an important Ministry Employee. He even used to be Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement! He didn't really have another choice." Now he was just spouting whatever came to mind. Crouch did only see Winky as a servant. And the reason he released her was because she failed to restrain Junior. Considering his son was a crazy Death Eater, it wasn't too unreasonable for him to free her.

"That's a racist law!" she yelled. "One of the things SPEW will be working towards is removing that law!"

He stood up and said, "They have their own magic, Hermione. They don't need wands any more than goblins do… but unlike goblins, they don't care about the concept of being allowed to. They're _happy_!"

"Only because they've been trained that way!" Hermione stood up to.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Nothing I can say will stop you, will it?"

"Nothing!" she yelled.

"Then I'll be leaving now," he turned around and began to walk away.

How could he keep out of it? She'd make him after a while. He didn't know how to convince her it was stupid. The only thing he could think of would be making an anti-SPEW by asking people who'd already turned her down to join the _Enlighten Hermione about House-Elves_ club…

Actually, that was the best idea. He could get people who thought she was crazy and people with house-elves to try and explain to her that it was insane… maybe the kitchen elves would like to join after she talks to them about it?


	19. Warp 1, Year 4, Part 3

Bet that you're shocked the chapter is out on regular schedule. I managed to write it all in one sitting, so I'm rather proud of myself. Thanks again to all my reviewers! I hope you guys like this chapter!

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And---_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

Thanks to _swanpride_ for being my plot beta!

* * *

**Book 4, Chapter 15: Beauxbatons and Drumstrang; Chapter 16: The Goblet of Fire**

**Warp 1, Year 4 (part 3), Chapter 18: Arrival**

* * *

"But— but you said it's illegal, Professor!" Hermione said to Junior nervously. "You said to use it against another human being was—"

Junior cut her off, "Dumbledore wants you all taught what it feels like. If you'd rather learn the hard way— when someone is putting it on you to control you— then fine by me. You're excused. Off you go." Unable to just walk out of a class, Hermione stayed firmly seated.

Momentarily, Harry wondered how Dumbledore didn't know that this wasn't his old friend. The longer he was exposed to Junior, the more obvious it was. He was sure that the real Moody wouldn't have approved of casting an Unforgivable of a student. Especially a fourth year. Then again, Harry _knew_ that the Professor was a fake. Dumbledore probably just thought he'd not known his old friend as well as he thought.

Dumbledore must have his breaking point though. If he remembered correctly, he finally came to his senses after the tournament. His suspicion had probably been building all year.

Harry didn't want to watch his classmates suffer, because that was exactly what Junior was doing to them. Making them suffer. And he was probably enjoying it too.

He gave his friends a few discreet pointers, giving them ideas to fight against it, but he mostly let his mind wander. How was Voldemort fairing without Pettigrew? How did he even manage to get this far without Pettigrew? Was there somebody else? He ran through the list of free Death Eaters in his mind and there wasn't anybody he would've tagged as somebody that would've found his master.

"Potter," Junior called on him. "You're next."

Harry stood up and walked up. He gulped. He didn't want to succeed on the first try, but fighting the Imperius was second nature. And he didn't want it cast on him until he could fight it.

_Jump on the desk_, the voice echoed in his head and it sounded a lot more like Junior's than Moody's. He doubted he could've noticed the first time, but now that he was searching for differences and used to the feel of the Imperius, it was obvious.

He snapped out of it right away, but instead decided against making it known. He jumped onto the desk and began to dance. Not just any dance either. He did the first one that popped into his head, and that was the dance on Michael Jackson's _Thriller_ music video. Last time, he and Hermione had learned it to get a laugh at a Halloween party.

All the muggleborns began to laugh.

"Now that's more like it," Junior growled. "See what Potter did there, you lot? He fought it."

The muggleborns stopped laughing, but Harry had yet to stop dancing. His expression had changed though. No longer was he giving them a blank stare; he was trying hard not to laugh. "But Professor," Hermione spoke up, "he's dancing _Thriller_… are you telling us he's doing that himself?"

Dean Thomas added in, "I didn't even know that Harry knew that dance. I've tried to do it before. It's hard."

Hermione nodded her agreement. Harry stopped dancing and shrugged. "I learned it for a Halloween party," he told them. "It always gets a good laugh to start dancing whenever somebody turns on the song."

"He beat it!" Junior brought attention back to the lesson. "Watch his eyes this time. _Imperio!_"

_Act like a chicken,_ the voice echoed once more, more firmly this time. Harry knew there would be a change in his eyes right away because it wasn't affecting him. He deliberately began to do the Chicken Dance.

Once again, the muggleborns couldn't help but laugh. Harry just concentrated on his timing though. Just before Junior began to talk again, Harry skipped over to Hermione and they linked arms and began to dance around in circles.

Junior growled. "When Potter decides that he's going to stop making a joke out of this lesson and stops whatever he's currently doing, we can move along."

Hermione stopped immediately and Harry sighed. "Yeah, we're done."

"Okay. Will you explain what you did, Potter?"

Harry hadn't needed to do much for a long time, so it took him a moment to remember what he should say. "I just thought that jumping on the desk was a stupid thing to do. Pointless, really."

"Ten points to Gryffindor, Mr. Potter."

* * *

The thirteenth of October arrived quickly and Harry still hadn't any leads to where the Horcrux might be. He was keeping an eye on everybody and everything for anything weird.

"It's a bummer, all right," George was whispering to his twin next to the Dream Team. "But if he won't talk to us we'll have to send him the letter after all. Or we'll stuff it into his hand. He can't avoid us forever!"

"Who's avoiding you," Ron butted in. Harry just rolled his eyes.

"Serves you two right, betting with Bagman," he pointed out. "Everybody knows that they'll never get their money— he's been in so much trouble with the goblins lately."

Fred and George sighed. "Wish dad told us then," Fred groaned. "Or you. How did you know who we bet with, anyways?"

Harry shrugged. He wished he had an explanation, but he didn't.

Luna saved him. "Mr. Bagman is very strange. Dad and I think that he's a werewolf!" she exclaimed. Fred and George didn't reply and turned away and began to discuss the Triwizard Tournament. Sometimes he was really grateful for Luna.

Breakfast passed quickly and Harry headed off to his first class.

The day passed quickly and soon enough they were filing outside in four straight lines. The head of houses were giving orders. "Weasley, straighten your hat," McGonagall was shouting out. "Miss Patil, take that ridicules thing out of your hair… and Miss Lovegood, line up with your own house!"

Luna stepped out of the Gryffindor line and walked over the rest of the Ravenclaw House, where Flitwick was yelling similar orders, "Miss Chang, tuck that necklace inside your robes," and when he looked to Luna— radish earrings and all— he frowned. "Miss Lovegood," he schooled, "for once could you have left your… accessories… in your dormitory? Don't answer that…"

The remaining members of the Dream Team looked away from the line of Ravenclaws. "Sometimes I think that she thinks she's a Gryffindor…" Harry laughed. "She did spend most of her first year sleeping in our common room, after all!"

Hermione frowned. "Technically, she spent most of her first year petrified…" she pointed out.

Parvati just sighed. "Why doesn't Luna have to take off her _ridicules_ accessories too?" The Dream Team gave the girl a dry look and she shrugged. "I'm just saying…"

"How do you think they're coming," Ron mused, changing the subject. "By train?"

"I doubt it," replied Hermione.

Harry looked up to the sky. It was a bright, clear blue. The lake was the same. He smirked at an idea. "Hey Neville, I'll bet you a galleon that Beauxbatons arrives in a giant flying carriage pulled by giant flying horses."

"Sure," he shrugged. "I'll always go for an easy galleon."

Harry gave an even wider smile. "Well, I'll put another galleon on Drumstrange coming in a ship that can travel underwater!"

This time Neville didn't agree. "I only have one galleon, Harry. I never bet more than I'm able to pay up."

"I'll take that one," Lavender proposed. "Looks like you'll be down two galleons by the end of the night, Harry."

McGonagall, who had been standing at the front of the line before, was right beside them. "If you six are finished, our guests will be arriving any moment. Get back in line."

It was only then that Harry noticed that they had warped the line while they talked. It was challenging, after all, to speak with people when they had four or five others between them. They all straightened up and looked forward.

"Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches," Dumbledore announced calmly.

"Where?" many students asked eagerly, looking around. The Dream Team, Parvati and Lavender began to search the sky.

"There!" Neville yelled, pointing above the forest. It was indistinguishable from the distance, so he just said, "Okay, so you got the flying part right…"

"It's a dragon!" yelled a first year.

"Don't be stupid," Dennis Creevy told him. "It's a flying house!"

It was close enough to tell that Harry was right when Neville pulled the galleon out of his robe pocket. He gave his friend an odd, confused look, and continued to watch the French's arrival.

Harry watched the carriage land and the familiar half-giantess climb out, followed by her students. He recognized most of their faces— he had spent an entire year with them around, after all, but he realized the only name he had to put with a face was Fleur's.

"How big do you recon Drumstrang's horses are going to be," Seamus leaned around Parvati and Lavender to address the Dream Team.

Lavender laughed. "Harry here thinks that Drumstrang will have a ship that travels _underwater_."

Neville shrugged. "He was right about Beauxbatons. I think you'll be out a galleon too, Lavender."

To the girl's horror, there was a disturbance on the lake. She gave Harry an angry look as the ship from Drumstrang began to rise from the depths of the Black Lake.

Harry didn't pay attention to the Drumstrang lot because he was busy taking Lavender's galleon. It only took a second, but before he had the chance to pocket the money, Ron was nudging him hard. "Harry— _it's Krum_!"

The redhead was elbowing him even after he told him who he was seeing, and knocked the galleon out of Harry's hand. He sighed. "Calm down, Ron. You're around a celebrity who's a brilliant seeker every day. This is just a different one."

"He caught the Snitch at the _World Cup_! You've never done that!"

Harry rolled his eyes. "The Snitch isn't any harder to catch at the World Cup than any normal professional game, and I'm sure I could fare in one of those. And I survived the killing curse. I bet Krum's never done _that_!" He couldn't believe he was bragging his social status. He'd only done that once of twice before. Ever.

"But you're my best friend. You don't count!"

And it was hard to believe that Harry and Ron were going to be fighting over just that in a couple of day's time. Well, they weren't if Harry could help it, but Ron was a very stubborn person.

The Drumstrang students filed into the school and the Hogwarts students began to follow them. The forms of the lines were lost and Harry found himself separated from Hermione, Ron, and Neville.

He looked around himself and couldn't see them, and ran into somebody. "Watch where you're going," Cho snapped. His eyebrow rose. Was Cho always like that? He shrugged it off. Everybody had their off days.

He moved away from her and noticed he was right behind his fellow time-traveller. "Malfoy!" he exclaimed. "Noticed anything strange lately?"

Malfoy shrugged, slowed down a bit so he was in stride with Harry, and replied, "I haven't noticed anybody wearing it, and there are too many people around who act like they're under its influence on a good day anyways."

Harry groaned. "This could take forever!"

"Why don't we just put up flyers. _Lost: Reward_ and a drawing of it…"

"No," he sighed. "What if Crouch realizes what it is?"

"I'm sure Junior didn't know about Hor—" Harry covered Malfoy's mouth before he could finish the word.

He hissed at him, "Be quiet. What if somebody hears?"

"Then people thinking that _Precious_ Potter's going Dark won't be _my_ problem," he laughed.

He sighed. "I didn't even mean that, anyways. He could think that it's some sort of relic of Slytherin and report it to his master."

"You're paranoid," Malfoy stated bluntly.

Harry shrugged. "Rather paranoid than busted," he explained.

The two walked into the Great Hall, still walking together, and Harry looked to his friends. Ron no longer let Harry hang around Malfoy— the only time the two really talked was while they were skipping Care of Magical Creatures. His best friend looked at him angrily and Harry gave him a weak smile. "Hey Malfoy, mind if I sit with you and the Slytherins?"

"Not really," he replied. "Do whatever you like."

Harry sat down on his not-quite-friend's left and a couple people nearby gave him sneers.

"What's _Potter_ doing here?" Tracy Davis asked, saying his name as if it were a terrible swear word.

Malfoy replied sharply, "He's with me."

"But why?"

The Gryffindor sighed. "Because I want to be? Ron's being annoying— he's fawning over Krum. I'd rather sit with Malfoy."

Malfoy shrugged at the questioning looks he was being given. "He's a decent conversationalist," he explained.

Harry looked away from the two arguing Slytherins and to the guests. The group from Drumstrang were beginning to sit down around them. Krum sat on Malfoy's other side and the fighting stopped. "Hello," Tracy greeted with a smile. "Welcome to Hogwarts! What do you think of it so far?"

"It is very nice," Krum told them. "Ve have a castle also, not as big as this."

Harry raised his eyebrow at Tracy. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Harry Potter" he said.

Malfoy looked at him and then to Tracy. "I'm Draco Malfoy," he told Krum and then looked over to the girl. "Where I come from it's customary to introduce yourself before you start to ask questions," he said at her.

Tracy blushed. "Of course. I apologize. My name's Tracy Davis."

Krum smiled at them. "It is very nice to meet you."

The three gave him a smile and the subject changed. "It would be so cool to be the school champion, wouldn't it, Draco?"

Malfoy gave her a shrug and Harry frowned. "No! Seriously, right now my worst nightmare would be being entered into that tournament. I really wouldn't want to complete!" Of course, it really wasn't his worst nightmare, but if he was going to get people to believe he didn't want any part of this, he'd have to exaggerate.

"Vaey not?" Krum asked curiously. He'd probably been dreaming of being chosen for weeks.

"Because every year I get stuck in some life-threatening situation—" Malfoy opened his mouth to interrupt Harry, but he narrowed his eyes at him. "Sirius does count because people _thought_ he was going to kill me," he said. "This year I want to watch somebody _else _deal with it!"

"Vell," Krum replied, "I haff been vanting to compete for veeks…"

"I think you'll get to," Malfoy told him, giving Harry a wink. The Gryffindor smiled at him. Of course Krum was going to be a champion!

* * *

Before people began to file out of the hall Harry said goodbye to Tracy, Malfoy, and Krum, and waltzed across the hall to the Gryffindor table. "Hi guys," he greeted them with a smile. Hermione, Neville, and Luna smiled back. Ron just glared at him.

"C'mon," Harry laughed. "I was only going to talk to Malfoy for a little while… about something important." It wasn't a lie. "But then Krum sat by him and we started a conversation."

"So? Harry, they're Slytherins!" Ron insisted.

Hermione smacked him lightly. "I'm personally glad that Harry is working towards inter-house unity!"

"We have Luna for that!" he complained.

"I'll make it up to you!" Harry announced. "Who's up for a little exploring tonight?"

"Me!" Luna laughed. "A house-elf in the Ravenclaw tower was telling me about a cool room that only appears when you need it!"

At the now forbidden word, Hermione looked up. Most people at the Gryffindor stood up and began to walk away when they noticed the look on her face.

"Calm down Hermione," Harry told her firmly. "We don't need this right now."

"But—"

If Harry wasn't attempting to make sure he had a witness for every minute of his alibi, he would have walked away right then. Usually that was what he did when she got started. "Hermione!" he cut her off. "Seriously, _they like it_!"

"They're brainwashed!" she yelled back to him. Everybody was still in the Hall looked over at them casually. Fighting about house-elves had become a common occurrence in the Hall.

Harry grabbed Luna's hand and dragged her out of the room with him. Ron gave Hermione a last glance before trailing after them. When they were out of the crowd, Harry pulled the Cloak and Map out of his pocket.

They slipped the cloak over themselves and Luna took the Map. "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good," she ordered it. "Where should we go?"

"The kitchens, maybe?" Ron suggested.

Harry nudged him. "You just ate!"

"Hey! This is your way of making it up to me! I should get first stop!"

"Do you even know where the kitchens are?" Harry asked him.

Ron shrugged. "I was under the impression that you knew…"

"I do... but when did I tell you?"

"You told Snape first year, remember? You said the Hufflepuff Dormitories were near the Kitchens…"

Luna laughed. "I wouldn't mind going to the kitchens. I'd rather like a hot chocolate."

Harry shrugged. "The kitchens it is, then."


	20. Warp 1, Year 4, Part 4

One day late, and I'm sorry, but here's Chapter 19. Thanks once again to all my readers and reviewers for their support.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And---_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.) Little did he know..._

_

* * *

_

Thanks to _swanpride_ for being my plot beta!

* * *

**Book 4, Chapter 16: The Goblet of Fire; Chapter 17: The Four Champions**

**Warp 1, Year 4 (part 4), Chapter 19: The Two Hogwarts Champions**

* * *

Harry, Ron, and Luna all simultaneously yawned. Hermione scoffed. "You guys shouldn't have wandered the castle all night long!"

With another yawn, Harry told her, "It was worth it."

"Yeah," Ron agreed. "And we didn't just wander the castle. We went out into the grounds too."

"And wandered all the way to the Shrieking Shack," Luna added.

Obviously, in their exhaustion, the three had lost most of their common sense. Hermione did not like that at all. "_Why_ did you go all the way to the Shrieking Shack? And _how_?"

"There's a secret passage under the Whomping Willow that we found," Harry explained. "We went down and it led to the Shack."

"You went down a strange passageway?"

"It wasn't really strange. It was on the Map… Sirius knew about it." The time-traveller tried to reason.

"_Sirius_ isn't a prime example of a responsible adult, Harry."

"I wasn't saying he was," Harry defended himself.

"You implied it!"

Trying to calm the situation, Neville tried to divert their attention. "We should visit Hagrid," he said. "We haven't visited Hagrid in a long time."

"Yes," Luna agreed.

Hermione shot her an angry look. "You three should go to bed!"

"Don't wanna!" Harry told her. "Wanna go to Hagrid's."

She narrowed her eyes. "Okay. Let's go to Hagrid's. You'll probably end up missing the Feast tonight, but that's all right. It'll be your own fault."

Ten minutes later, Harry, Luna, and Ron fell asleep, curled up together on Hagrid's couch.

* * *

"Harry," a gruff voice was calling his name. "Harry, wake up." Harry groggily opened his eyes to see Hagrid leaning over him.

Harry groaned. "How long have I been out?"

"Since you got 'ere."

He sat up and Luna rolled over. "How long ago was that?"

"Couple 'ours. All afternoon. It'd be time we be gettin' ourselves to the feast, actually," he explained. Harry could have almost jumped for joy. He had a witness to his location for every minute since the Goblet was put out!

"Luna," he whispered to the girl lying beside him, "Luna, it's time for the feast." She sat up, yawning and stretching, and Harry looked over to Ron on his left. "Ronnikins, wake up," he teased. "Or we'll leave you here to miss the Feast."

"Feast?" his friend asked without opening his eyes. "Is there food at the Feast?"

"Yes Ron, there's food at the Feast." Obviously, Ron was not very smart when he was half-asleep.

"Oh," Ron sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Good. I'm starving."

From her seat at the table, Hermione laughed. "You three were so cute when you were asleep!"

Neville began to laugh from beside her. "We even found Collin and had him take a couple of pictures!"

Harry groaned. "Great," he complained. "Just wonderful."

They all stood up and Luna began to fix her hair. Together, the Dream Team and Hagrid marched out of the hut and up to the castle.

Mostly everybody was already there when they entered the Great Hall. Harry scanned the crowds and noticed that Malfoy was smirking mischievously at Tracy Davis. Harry hadn't really noticed it before, but the other time traveller seemed to be around Tracy a lot more than he was Pansy.

The Dream Team took their usual seats at the Gryffindor table and the food appeared shortly after. Ron began to stuff his face and Harry calmly took a regular amount of food. "I'm so glad I don't have to deal with this kind of thing this year!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You're the only one who isn't enthusiastic about your adventures," she told him. "They're," she pointed to Neville and Luna, "both half-hoping that your name comes out."

"Can't stand to be on the sidelines?" Harry laughed. "I can't wait to be the one on the sidelines!"

"Ron on the other hand," Hermione continued, "doesn't want your name to come out. He's the jealous type, you know."

"I'm not!" Ron said between his bites.

After what felt like an eternity, the remainder of the food disappeared and Dumbledore stood up, "Well, the Goblet is almost ready to make its decision—"

Harry really didn't like listening to the same speech multiple times. He knew what he should do when his name was called, so he zoned out, thinking hard about what he might want to say when his name came out of the Goblet. He'd start with a giant, "What?" standing up from his seat and then stay totally silent and then maybe…

"The Champion for Drumstrang is…" Dumbledore's words caught his attention once more. He should listen to this part. "Viktor Krum."

Harry looked over to the Seeker as he stood up and confidently marched into the back room. "Bravo Viktor!" Karkaroff was yelling loudly over the applause. "Knew you had it in you!"

Another paper flew out of the Goblet. "The Champion for Beauxbatons in… Fleur Delecour." The girl stood up and gracefully waltzed up to the front of the room, and disappeared behind the designated door. The applause died down again.

"The Hogwarts Champion," Dumbledore continued as the Goblet spat out the 'final' name, "is…" he paused, obviously confused. "Draco Malfoy." It was a statement, but he spoke it like a question. All eyes turned to the Hogwarts' Champion. Everybody at Hogwarts knew who Malfoy was.

"Skill," Malfoy explained in a single word and stood up. He winked at the rest of the shocked Slytherins and they all began to clap loudly and excitedly.

The Goblet turned a deep red once more and the building applause stopped in an instant. Dumbledore pulled out the slip and read, "Harry Potter."

He didn't move for a long moment, and then he said, "Excuse me?" He

"Harry," Dumbledore repeated. "Harry, come up here."

"But I didn't put my name in," he protested. He'd rather make a scene out here where more people will hear that he doesn't want to be any part.

Dumbledore sighed. "Harry, we shall discuss this in the back room…"

"No!" Harry yelled. "Why don't we discuss this out here? I don't want any part in this stupid tournament! Why should I go back there?"

"Through the door, Harry," Dumbledore replied.

"I am a minor!" he said. "I want some legal representation! Or at least Sirius!"

The headmaster sighed, "Minerva, please floo Mr. Black and request his presence—"

Snape cut him off, "Albus, I don't believe that Black is a proper person to contact in this situation—"

He was cut off in return, "As much as I don't want to admit it, but Sirius is Harry's guardian, and would want to be here anyways."

At that line, Harry realized that he didn't recharge the wards at the Dursley's house this year. Would he be able to kill Voldemort and live? He'd have to look into that before he went and let Voldemort kill him. He never really knew how they had functioned, after all.

Harry stood up and focused on the door. Out of the corner of his eye he caught it though. Ron's betrayed look. He looked away and reached the front. Without looking away from Dumbledore and his disappointed expression, he walked into the door.

He entered the room and saw Fleur yelling at Malfoy while Krum ignored them both. Fleur turned to Harry and then said, "Do zey want us back in ze Hall?" Harry shook his head. "Zen what are you here for? Zis little boy?" she gave him a hopeful look.

"I'm not obligated to say anything until Sirius arrives," Harry replied, using his figure to mime zipping up his lips, locking them, and throwing away the key. Everybody gave him a strange look.

Bagman burst into the room. "Extraordinary," he muttered as he reached Harry and squeezed his arm. "Absolutely extraordinary! Gentlemen… lady… may I introduce— incredible as it may be— the _fourth_ Triwizard Champion?"

Malfoy scoffed. "No, you may not introduce anybody," he replied sarcastically.

Krum raised an eyebrow at Harry.

Fleur, on the other hand, replied. "Oh, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman."

"Joke?" Bagman replied. "No, no, not at all. Harry's name just came out of the Goblet of Fire."

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Always have to be special, don't you Potter."

"You're underage too, you know," Harry snapped.

"But I'm the Hogwarts Champion, not a mysterious fourth champion," he explained.

"But evidently, zair 'as been a mistake." Fleur protested. "'E cannot compete. 'E is too young. So is 'zis little boy too." She pointed to Malfoy at the end.

"Well, it is amazing," Bagman said, rubbing his chin. "But as you know, the age restriction is only imposed this year as an extra safety measure. And both their names have come out of the Goblet… I mean, I don't think there can be any ducking out at this stage… it's down in the rules. They're obligated to compete. They'll just have to do their best…"

The door opened again. Out front was Karkaroff and Madame Maxine, followed closely by Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, and Sirius. Behind Sirius was Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. Taking up the rear was both of the Crouch men, (Junior, of course, being in disguise). Sirius approached Harry and whispered, "Stay quite until I instruct you otherwise." The Malfoys also grouped together.

"Madame Maxine!" Fleur exclaimed at one, hurrying over to her headmistress. "Zey are saying zat zese little boys are to compete!"

"What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr?"

"I'd rather like to know that myself, Dumbledore," said Professor Karkaroff. "Two Hogwarts champions? I don't remember anyone telling me the host school is allowed two champions – or have I not read the rules carefully enough?"

"C'est impossible," said Madame Maxime, whose hand was resting upon Fleur's shoulder. "Ogwarts cannot 'ave two champions. It is most injust."

"We were under the impression that your Age Line would keep out younger contestants, Dumbledore," said Karkaroff, his steely smile still in place, though his eyes were colder than ever. "Otherwise, we would, of course, have brought along a wider selection of candidates from our own schools."

"It's their own fault, Karkaroff," said Snape."Don't go blaming Dumbledore for Potter's determination to break rules. He has been crossing lines ever since he arrived here—"

"And what about Mr. Malfoy?" McGonagall cut him off angrily. "If you have forgotten, he entered himself in the tournament also."

"Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry?" Dumbledore turned his attention away from the two house heads and over to the two students in question.

Sirius nudged Harry. Obviously, that meant he was allowed to answer. "No, I didn't."

"Did you ask an older student to put it into the Goblet of Fire for you?"

"No, I didn't," Harry replied. Snape snorted in disbelief.

"Ah, but of course 'e is lying!" cried Madame Maxime.

"They could not have crossed the Age Line," said McGonagall. "I am sure we are all agreed on that -"

"Dumbly-dorr must 'ave made a mistake wiz ze line," shrugged Madame Maxime. McGonagall gave her a glare, as it that wasn't an option.

"It is possible, of course," said Dumbledore politely.

"He didn't. Fred and George couldn't cross the line, and they tried pretty hard. I don't know what Malfoy did, but I couldn't have crossed the line…" Harry cut in before McGonagall could imply that it wasn't possible for Dumbledore to make a mistake. Harry knew that his headmaster had made terrible mistakes; mistakes that killed somebody he loved.

Sirius nudged him again, but this time it meant for him to keep quiet. "What Harry is trying to say is that the line proved itself sufficient."

"Mr. Crouch… Mr. Bagman, you are our - er - objective judges. Surely you will agree that this is most irregular?" Karkaroff cut in.

"We must follow the rules, and the rules state clearly that those people whose names come out of the Goblet of Fire are bound to compete in the tournament."

"Well, Barty knows the rule book back to front," said Bagman, turning back to Karkaroff and Madame Maxime. To him, the matter was closed.

"I don't want to, though!" Harry protested, only to be nudged once more.

Malfoy shrugged. "I do. I think the matter at hand is more of what to do about the second Hogwarts Champion."

"I insist upon resubmitting the names of the rest of my students," said Karkaroff. "You will set up the Goblet of Fire once more, and we will continue adding names until each school has two champions. It's only fair, Dumbledore."

"Fair?" Sirius asked. "Fair when both Hogwarts Champions are underage. Are you suggesting that you don't believe that your champion can beat two fourteen year olds?"

The Drumstrange Headmaster stuttered. "Well…"

Krum spoke up for the first time. "Vell, I don't mind at all."

Sirius pointed at him. "See, he's using his brain. He has two and a half years more than these two in experiences! While they pose the challenge of quantity, do they really pose the challenge of quality?"

"Thanks, Sirius," Harry replied sarcastically.

"Just trying to make them see fact, Harry," he replied. "You can't deny it."

Nobody answered them. Finally, Fleur said. "Zis makes much sense. My only challenge is you, Meester Krum."

Sirius nodded, "My point exactly."

Harry cut in, "But I didn't put my name in the Goblet!" he whined.

"It's very simple," Junior said in his gruff tone. "Someone put Potter's name in that goblet knowing he'd have to compete if it came out."

"Evidently, someone 'oo wished to give 'Ogwarts two bites at ze apple!" said Madame Maxime.

Sirius sighed. "We just went over that…"

"But what if somebody other than Malfoy's name came out?" Harry asked. "Then it wouldn't be fair." Maxime nodded confidently.

"I quite agree, Madame Maxime," said Karkaroff. "I shall be lodging complaints with the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards—"

"If anyone's got reason to complain, it's Potter," growled Junior. "And he's trying to get his fair share in."

"We all know Professor Moody considers the morning wasted if he hasn't discovered six plots to murder him before lunchtime," said Karkaroff.

"Imagining things, am I? Seeing things, eh? It was a skilled witch or wizard who put the boy's name in that goblet…"

"Stop fighting!" Harry yelled. "I think we've got it through that I didn't put my name in, Malfoy put his, and it's not unfair if we both compete… so why don't we just move along and work on ways for me not to?"

Sirius shot him a glance, but nodded. "There has to be some sort of loophole… Barty, could you mail me a copy of the rules?"

Crouch Senior nodded. "You won't find anything, but you're free to look."

"I just want to go to bed then," Harry tried to tie it all off. "Maybe have a conversation with Padfoot first, though. Let's go." The two marched out of the room.

As they left, they heard Dumbledore yell after them, "I haven't given the instructions for the first task yet though!" Harry didn't look back, although his godfather faltered.

"You were good back there," Harry told Sirius as they entered the empty Hall.

Sirius laughed. "Thanks. Remus used to say that I'd make a good lawyer, the way I bend the rules…"

"Speaking of Moony, you should have brought him. He'd've helped."

The two entered the Entrance Hall and headed for the stairs. "I didn't have time to contact him, did I?" Sirius replied.

Harry shrugged, and began to lead Sirius up the familiar passageways. He didn't know where to go right away, because he didn't want to deal with his friends yet, but he quickly came to a decision. He was going to finally tell Sirius the big secret. "Where are we going?" the man asked, looking around. "This isn't the way to the Gryffindor Tower…"

He nodded. "I know. We're going somewhere else. I don't want to have to deal with a party in the common room." The man deserved to know, the time traveller reassured himself. And he needed somebody to talk to that wasn't Malfoy.

Sirius laughed. "But Gryffindor has the _best_ parties!" He was given a dry look. "You really don't want any part of this, do you?"

He shook his head. "Of course not. A deadly tournament? A plot to kill me? It's heavy."

"I'm sure Alastor was just exaggerating…"

Harry shrugged. "You can't be sure he isn't. Look at my track record—"

Padfoot cut him off with a laugh. "They were wrong about me! Didn't we just walk by here?"

The time-traveller nodded. "Why yes, yes we did. One more time now… and voila." Sirius gasped when a door he'd never seen before appeared out of nowhere.

Harry opened it to reveal an empty copy of the Gryffindor Common Room. "Not quite what I was looking for, but good enough." He made a quick mental note to try and be more specific about what the room should look like in the future. He'd just asked for a quiet, comfortable place to talk to Sirius without being interrupted. "Welcome to the Room of Requirement."

"This is so cool…" Sirius said, looking around. "So there's a copy of the Gryffindor Common Room just randomly—"

He shook his head, no. "This is a room that becomes whatever I tell it to. If I wanted a passageway to the Hog's Head, that's what I'd find. If I wanted a broom closet or a bathroom…"

"That's what it would become?"

"As long as I'm specific. If I'm walking by thinking I need a place to relieve myself it probably would only be a room of chamber pots."

"That's even cooler," Sirius whispered in awe. "I'd never found this place before… how did you?"

Harry wondered about that before, so apparently it had been confirmed. The Marauders never found the Room of Requirement. "I wondered why it wasn't on the Map."

"I guess you can say you've uncovered more secrets of the school than us now, Harry. Anyways, how did you?"

"Accident. I got lost back in first year and found myself in here," he weaved a tale primarily out of habit. Even though he was planning on telling Sirius everything, the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. He was too accustomed to lying. "I came back looking and I found it again… except it wasn't the same… it sort of became an obsession… figuring out how it works…"

Sirius looked around. "Awesome… so if I decide right now that I need … The Standard Book of Spells Grade Seven…" A copy of the Standard Book of Spells Grade Seen Appeared. "Wow!"

Harry shook his head. "We're not here to marvel over the wonders of the Room of Requirement. I have something that I want to tell you… that I should've done this summer…"

"And what might that be?"

"Sirius… I don't know how to say this… but…."

"Just out with it," Sirius laughed. "Like a bandaid!"

"Sirius… I'm from the future…"


	21. Warp 1, Year 4, Part 5

I decided to do you guys a little favour and put this up a today instead of tommorow to make up for my recent lateness.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And---_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

Thanks to _swanpride_ for being my plot beta!

* * *

**Book 4, Chapter 17: The Four Champions; Chapter 18: The Weighing of the Wands**

**Warp 1, Year 4 (part 5), Chapter 20: Secrets**

* * *

Sirius began to laugh so hard that he dropped the book he was holding and it hit his toe. He laughed so hard that he fell over. The room produced a cushion for him to land on and once he'd softly landed on it, he began to roll around, clutching his sides. "That's a good one, Harry!"

The time traveller in question didn't know what to do to prove it. What could he say? "The first task is going to be dragons," he told Sirius. "The second is fetching a hostage from under the Black Lake, and the third is a maze."

Sirius sat back up and shrugged. "C'mon Harry, it's not like I know what the tasks are. If you're serious, think of something else," he told him, still with a grin on his face that told Harry that his Godfather still didn't think he was serious.

"The Order…" he tried. "Some of the original members were Mad-Eye, you, mom, dad… Moony, Pettigrew the Spy for Voldemort… the Prewetts, the Longbottoms… founded by Dumbledore… I'm pretty sure Aberforth was a member… was Dung? I think so…."

Sirius scoffed. "Somebody could have told you that."

"Snape too, near the end… as a spy for Dumbledore… because my mum's life was threatened—"

"Okay, how do you know that?" the man gave him a serious look. "Dumbledore never told anybody why Snivillus defected from the Death Eaters."

Harry shrugged. "I'm from the future. Snape needed to prove his loyalty to tell me the key to defeat Voldemort… I definitely wouldn't believe him after he killed Dumbledore—"

"What!" Sirius jumped up. "What did Snape do?"

"Kill Dumbledore."

The man laughed again. "And you expect me to believe that he's loyal to the Order, but will kill Dumbledore… and still be loyal to the Order? Harry, if you're going to make things up, do make it more believable."

"Do you think everything working out so well was just luck then?"

He shrugged. "I was told that everything seems to go just right around you…" he trailed off.

Harry sighed in exasperation. "That's exactly why, Sirius! I knew you were that dog right from the start, and I knew you were innocent! I knew that Ron's rat was Pettigrew and I knew you would kill him when given the chance! I knew that Quirrell would try to steal the Stone and I knew Ginny would open the Chamber of Secrets. I knew about the Tournament, and I knew I would be chosen for it under a fourth school. I know that Moody is really Junior under polyjuice potion—"

"What?"

"Barty Crouch Junior… you know, the Death Eater… ring any bells?"

Sirius shook his head.

"You saw him being brought into Azkaban by the Dementors!"

He pressed his lips together in thought. "Yeah, I guess I did… how did you know?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "You told me… or… you will tell me? I guess not, because I don't plan on falling into Dumbledore's pensive…"

"Nice act," Sirius laughed once more. "But this is getting too far. Things are only funny for so long—"

"I'm not joking!" Harry yelled. "This is stupid… Room… give me… give me the Room of Hidden things. I need to break something!" The Room didn't change, but it produced a punching bag. Harry growled. "Why don't you just change into the DA meeting room then? That'd be a lot better!" he yelled sarcastically. "There are lots of things to break in that one!"

Although Harry didn't really expect it to change, it did. "Thanks." He wasn't serious.

"DA?" Sirius questioned.

"Dumbledore's Army… look, it even has the photos we put on the wall… didn't know it could do that…" It did have the random photos that Harry and his friends had taped to the walls. Pictures showing Hermione and Ron with Prefect badges, at fifteen. Even the list of members.

Sirius was looking at them. "Can it make things like this up?"

"Not that I know of. I know when I asked for this room they were always there after we put them up… it makes itself into what we ask for… so I guess it gave me the room as I knew it. For a minute I thought it would give me Neville's DA room… the one they hid in most of seventh year..."

"Dumbledore is going to train an army?" the man questioned in confusion.

Harry shook his head. "No. That was the Ministry's worst fear, so that's what the defence club that I made was called."

"Why would you need that?"

"Umbridge," he spat the name out.

Sirius furrowed his eyebrows. "Who?"

"The Minister's Undersecretary. She was our DADA Professor next year… worst one that we'd ever have, including Snape in sixth year… she was worse than Snape, Quirrell and Lockhart combined…"

Sirius whistled. "Worse than Snivilly? That's a feat."

"At least _some people_ learned something useful from Snape's lessons… and not matter the rumours, he doesn't harm students. No blood quills…"

"Blood quills? At least the cuts fade away…"

"Not when you're to write the same line biweekly until it scars," Harry said bluntly. "I didn't think about them often but…" He had been so accustomed to them being there that sometimes now when he glanced at his hand and didn't see them he'd double-take.

"You can't be serious," Sirius insisted.

"That's _denial,_ Padfoot. It's not just a river in Egypt," Harry shrugged. "I must not tell lies, after all."

Sirius took a seat on the pile of pillows Harry remembered using for stunning practice. "Let's just say I've decided to humour you, then. Why were you entered in the Tournament?"

"Nothing big… just a plot to revive Voldemort…" he admitted.

It didn't seem to register to Sirius for a moment, as he said, "Right, no big…" but then he jumped up. "What?"

"I said that Junior is planning on bringing back Voldemort. I don't know about accomplices, because Pettigrew is in jail this time…"

"How?"

"You know _bone of father_, _flesh of servant_, _blood of enemy_ and all that jazz?" Harry spoke as if it was as trivial as the weather.

Sirius was gaping. "How did you..?" he stuttered. "That… _dark magic_!"

The teen rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know… dark magic. I mean, it's not hard to figure out when I'm tied to a gravestone and Voldemort is rising out of a cauldron."

"I need to sit down," he replied weakly. He did. "This is real then?"

"Of course it's real!"

Sirius took a deep breath in and out. "Wow," he admitted. "Wow…" he repeated, trailing off. "Just… wow."

Harry sighed. "Yeah. I know."

* * *

Sunday morning came as quickly as the night before had ended. Harry woke up tired and he rolled off his bed to wake himself up. "Hey Ron, what time is it?" Ron didn't answer. Of course he wouldn't. He was probably already at breakfast. Sighing, he asked, "Neville, are _you_ there?" Neville didn't answer either. He was probably trying to reason with Ron or something. Both of them couldn't abandon him, after all? Not now.

He dressed, climbed down the stairs and into the common room. Luna and Hermione were walking through the portrait hole. The Ravenclaw was carrying toast in a napkin and she gave him a smile when she saw him. "We brought you breakfast," she announced. "Didn't think that you would want to go into the Great Hall."

Harry thanked her. "Want to go for a walk?" The girls shrugged.

"Where's Neville and Ron?" he inquired as they climbed back out of the tower.

Hermione looked to her shoes. "Ron doesn't want to talk to you. Neville's trying to explain to him that you couldn't have done it yourself… after all, you were with us all day—"

"— and_ night_!" Luna added.

"— but he still doesn't want to be best friends with a famous person who attracts attention anymore."

They had entered the Entrance Hall and headed for the front doors when Harry fist saw Malfoy that day. Malfoy was giving him a giant, satisfied smirk as the Slytherins swarmed around him. Harry rolled his eyes right at him, exaggerating the gesture. Malfoy shrugged his shoulders with the same stressing of the motion.

"Can you believe him," Hermione complained. "He's been drinking up the attention _all morning_!"

"Yeah, he's like that?"

"But how'd he manage it!" the young witch said with exasperation. "It was _impossible_ to get over that line! Not even an aging potion worked, so it probably worked with the mind's age, not the body's—" Harry couldn't help but tune out Hermione's ranting. He knew that Malfoy probably just walked over in the dead of night when nobody could see the age line wouldn't affect him.

"Ron's just jealous," he exclaimed, diverting the conversation's direction out of the danger zone.

"Yes, but—"

"I don't know how to stop that… maybe wait for the first task when the dragon tries to kill me?" he bit his tongue. Nobody was supposed to know about the dragons at all.

Hermione let out a strangled gasp. "Dragons? That's the first task?" she shrieked quietly. "They told you?"

Harry scratched the back of his head. "Well, no… but I badgered it out of Sirius…" He was so glad he could use Sirius as a cover now. Hopefully the man will know to go along with whatever lies Harry weaves that lead back to him for confirmation.

"Why does Sirius know?"

"I dunno. He just does. Don't question the omniscience of Sirius Black!" he gave large gestures of greatness and Luna giggled. That was the effect he wanted.

The other girl rolled her eyes. "Yeah… r_i_ght. Anyways…"

* * *

The next few days were great compared to what they were last time.

This time, the Hufflepuffs were remarkably supportive of Harry this time. It was probably because he wasn't taking the spotlight from Cedric, but he'd think that they'd still be angry about Cedric's name not being chosen. He decided that it was similar to the first time, only reversed. Last time, the Slytherins had supported a Hufflepuff in swarms because Harry was the other Champion. This time, the Hufflepuffs would support Harry in swarms because the other Champion was a Slytherin.

Malfoy was avoiding Harry at all costs, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. His rival also had a month of detention with Snape for entering the Tournament against the rules.

Ron was giving him the cold shoulder, but not as much as last time because he knew Harry couldn't have put his name in the goblet.

Sirius was writing Harry more often, obviously feeling closer to him.

Krum tried to approach Harry a couple times, so the time traveller knew Krum wanted to at least say something to him, but giggling fans always kept him as far away from the castle as possible.

Many _Support Draco Malfoy_, _Potter Stinks_ badges were circling about, but that caused the Gryffindors to make badges supporting Harry, which were much more common to see. Just to screw with people, Harry had taken to wearing a _Potter Stinks_ badge on his robes where everybody could see it.

"Not very witty," Harry commented on the badge to a Slytherin handing them out one day. "I would wear two if they didn't say something so… tactless." The third year in question just gave him a glare.

When McGonagall first saw the badge, she just gaped. "Potter," she said after a moment, "What?" He just gave her a smile and walked off.

The only downer was that he still had no sign of the missing locket. He'd told Sirius in a letter about it and asked him to keep an eye out also, but there was no luck on any front.

Naturally, Harry wasn't surprised when a knock on the dungeon's door pulled him out of his wandering thoughts during potion's class.

"Yes," Snape sneered at the young Gryffindor at the door.

Colin balked under his gaze. "Please sir," he said, "I'm supposed to take Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy upstairs…"

"The two of them have another hour of Potions to complete," said Snape coldly. "They will go upstairs when this class is finished."

"Sir - sir, Mr. Bagman wants them," Colin replied, obviously intimidated by Snape's words. "All the champions have got to go; I think they want to take photographs…"

Harry began to place his things in his bag when Snape said, "Potter, leave your things here, I want you back down here later to test your antidote." Malfoy snickered.

"Please, sir - he's got to take his things with him," Colin squeaked out. You'd think after two years he was used to the Potion's Master. "All the champions…"

"Very well!" said Snape. "Potter— take your bag and get out of my sight!"

Harry smiled. "Thank you, sir," he wasn't being sarcastic, but the glare on Snape's face informed him that he took it that way. Malfoy dumped his books into his bag and nodded to Snape. The two left the room together.

"It's amazing, isn't it, Harry?" Colin said the moment Harry had closed the dungeon door behind the two Hogwarts Champions. "You being champion?"

He shrugged. "Not really, Colin. Notice my anti-Potter badge." He pointed to it as it flashed back to saying _Support Draco Malfoy_. "If I had a choice in this, I wouldn't be here. Hey Malfoy, can I legally drop out of school right now?"

The other time-traveller shrugged. "It would only work if the rules state that you have to go to one of the schools to be a Champion…"

Harry groaned. "I bet is doesn't."

"Exactly my point, Potter."

They reached the room quickly, Colin wished the two "Good luck," and they pushed the door open.

Fleur was conversing with a man holding a camera. Krum was standing off in a corner by himself and when Harry and Malfoy entered he approached them. Before he could reach them Bagman spoke up. ""Ah, here they are! In you come, Harry, in you come, Mr. Malfoy…" the way he spoke, it was like Malfoy was an afterthought. "Nothing to worry about, it's just the wand weighing ceremony, the rest of the judges will be here in a moment."

"Sounds wonderful," he said sarcastically. "Is this ceremony the final turning point? Because Sirius is still going through the rules for a loophole and it participating in this thing will get rid of my loophole—"

"We have to check that your wands are fully functional, no problems, you know, as they're your most important tools in the tasks ahead," Bagman cut him off as if he never opened his mouth at all.". "The expert's upstairs now with Dumbledore. And then there's going to be a little photoshoot. This is Rita Skeeter," he added, gesturing to the reporter in question. "She's doing a small piece on the tournament for the Daily Prophet…"

"Great," Harry complained. "I should've stayed in potions."

"I agree," Malfoy ran his fingers through his hair. "Want to go back as soon as they're done with our wands."

"I vote we take off as soon as they're in our hands. Every man for himself."

"I wonder if I could have a little word with Harry before we start?" she said to Bagman, gazing fixedly at Harry. "The youngest champion, you know… to add a bit of color?"

"No," Harry replied. "You can't interview me. And how do you know that Malfoy isn't the youngest? Hm? You must be a really good researcher, Miss Skeeter, to know I'm younger than him. I'd much like _not _to speak with you."

"No, no, no," Rita insisted. "It will only take a minute, you'll be back with your little friend before you know it."

Malfoy couldn't help but snicker. Harry gave him a glare, but took his arm and dragged the Slytherin with him across the room. "If I catch you spreading rumours to her," he growled his threat.

He shrugged. "C'mon, Potter. You expect me to pass on this opportunity?"

"Yes," the Gryffindor snapped back, "I do, actually."

There was a flash of light and the two looked away from each other's intense glare and towards the reporter and her cameraman. Neither realized how close their faces were until they were interrupted. She was clapping. "Touching, touching," she said quickly, and it was obvious that she didn't feel that way. "Harry Potter, the boy who makes friends outside his house… the readers will love it!"

The boy in question let out another growl, this one directed at her. "If you know what's good for you, I'll be kept out of your articles."

"Oh Harry, sweetie, sticks and stones may break my bones," she said with a hint of fake sweetness. "There's nothing you could do to me."

"I wouldn't be to sure about that," he replied.

She was about to say something but the door was once again opened. "Dumbledore!" cried Rita Skeeter. "How are you? I hope you saw my piece over the summer about the International Confederation of Wizards' Conference?"

"Enchantingly nasty." His eyes twinkled as he spoke. "I particularly enjoyed your description of me as an obsolete dingbat."

"Yes," Malfoy spoke up. "That article was _gold_, Rita." He sounded serious, but for some reason, Harry felt that he was being sarcastic.

"Anyways," Harry turned to Dumbledore. "I don't feel that I, a minor, should be doing this without my guardian present. Will you floo for Sirius, please?" The headmaster opened his mouth to reply, but immediately closed it and left the room.

Malfoy leaned in towards him and whispered, "You're really milking this for all it's worth."

"Why wouldn't I," Harry whispered back. The camera flashed again, but the Gryffindor decided to ignore it. He'd ask Sirius to deal with Skeeter later.

"This is nice," Ollivander brought attention to his presence for the first time since he'd entered with Dumbledore.

"Hello Ollivander," the two time-travellers greeted him at once.

Bagman looked to the door and back to the champions, as if making a quick decision, then said, "May I introduce Mr. Ollivander?" he said, obviously having decided to start without Dumbledore. He took his place at the judges' table. "He will be checking your wands to ensure that they are in good condition before the tournament."

"We're not starting now, are we?" Malfoy questioned.

Bagman shook his head. "Of course not. We're waiting for Dumbledore… and apparently," he flashed a disappointed look to Harry, "Sirius Black."

Dumbledore and Sirius walked through the doors at that moment. Sirius went over to stand with Harry and his fellow time-traveller.

"Mademoiselle Delacour, could we have you first, please?" the wand-maker said. Fleur swept over to Mr. Ollivander and handed him her wand. She flicked her hair over her shoulder and smiled. "Hmm…" He looked over the wand before saying, "Yes, nine and a half inches… inflexible… rosewood… and containing… dear me…"

"An 'air from ze 'ead of a veela," said Fleur. "One of my grandmuzzer's."

Malfoy turned to Harry. "I didn't know she was part veela!" he hissed. Sirius looked down at the two, but didn't say anything. "I mean, everybody suspected it… why didn't you tell me?"

He rolled his eyes, "How do you know that I knew?" The Slytherin gave him a dry look, but didn't say anything, giving Sirius a glance out of the corner of his eye. Harry realized he hadn't told his fellow time-traveller about Sirius knowing… come to think of it, he forgot to tell Sirius about Malfoy. "It's alright, he knows," he said.

"Because she just said it!" Malfoy continued to hiss. "Not only that, she married— marries— Bill Weasley! You saw her _all the time_!"

Harry shrugged at Malfoy, but to Sirius he explained, "Malfoy is in the same situation as me." His godfather nodded and the other boy just continued to glare.


	22. Warp 1, Year 4, Part 6

Hello again, all. Sorry this is a day late, but I totally forgot about it with March Break and all. But here it is. Thanks so much to all my reviews and I hope you guys all enjoy Chapter 21.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And---_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

Thanks to _swanpride _for being my plot beta!

* * *

**Book 4, Chapter 19: The Hungarian Horntail**

**Warp 1, Year 4 (part 6), Chapter 21: Hogsmeade**

* * *

Harry had looked forward to seeing what Rita's article would look like without an interview with him. It wasn't great; without a private conversation to turn into whatever she wanted, she had to interpret things into other things. Apparently, he was too attached to Sirius because he missed his parents, and scared to death about the fast approaching First Task.

In actuality, he wasn't worried in the last bit about this challenge.

It was annoying though. Harry was cornered at all hours to be comforted about his 'fear' of the First Task. The only people he could stand to be around were Slytherins and his immediate group of friends.

"Oh, Harry!" A voice would call from behind him whenever somebody would spot him.

He snapped though, after a while. "Yeah, that's right!" he yelled. "I'm frightened! I'm scared! I think that I'm going to bloody die in the First Task!"

Cho sneered at him. "Right. For your information, I was just going to tell you that you dropped your quill. I don't care about that article. The world isn't centered on you, Harry."

He just made a face at her. How did he ever have a crush on this girl? She was so nasty! Was he really so blind before? Or was it because her boyfriend hadn't been chosen as Champion? He took the quill out of her hand quickly and turned and walked off.

He turned a corner and ran right into Malfoy. They both fell backwards. "This is so annoying!" Harry complained to him as they stood up. "You're lucky _she_ just barely mentioned you."

Malfoy nodded. "Yeah, I am. I'd hate to be you right now."

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "Has Cho always been so snappy?"

Malfoy shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't really talk to Chang. Why?"

Harry shook his head passively. "I just had a run in with her and she wasn't very polite…" he trailed off. "Anyways, any leads on the necklace?"

"None," the other time-traveller sighed. "Seriously, how do you loose a piece of Voldemort's soul?"

"You said his name," Harry avoided the question. "You said Voldemort."

He shrugged in response. "It's not a big deal. There's no taboo on it or anything," he gave an accusing glare. "When the taboo is back, I'll stop."

"Well, I tried to stop with the taboo. It slipped!"

He rolled his eyes. "Sure it did, Potter. Sure it did. And you just happened to end up breaking out Lovegood and Ollivander, and figuring out where the Cup was hidden."

"I'm just lucky. Got any plans for the First Task?"

Malfoy shook his head. "I'm not sure if my Nimbus 2000 could outrun a dragon… unless you'd let my borrow your Firebolt?"

Harry gave him a dry look. "Why would I do that? You'll have to find your own way passed it."

Malfoy scoffed. "Then I'm stumped. I mean, it's not that hard… but we can't do anything too advanced…"

Harry shrugged. "Sirius had been going to tell me a spell last time… but I can't seem to remember it for my life…"

"Maybe I could use Conjunctivitus Curse… that's realetivly easy… except that's what Krum used… if he goes before me they'll think I was copying him."

"What about doing what Cedric did?"

Malfoy bit his lip. "I forgot what Cedric did…"

Haarry raised his eyebrow. "You remembered what Krum and I did but not Cedric?"

"I don't remember what Fleur did either."

"To the library, then?"

* * *

On the Saturday before the First Task, students were allowed to go to Hogsmeade. Hermione and Luna offered to go with him while Neville went with Ron, but Harry shook his head. "Why don't you all go together? I've been planning on spending today in the library again with Malfoy anyways."

Neville scoffed. "That's all you do, Harry! You need to get out!"

"I need to find a way to survive the First Task," he lied neutrally. "You guys have fun with Ron. It's rare you all hang out together."

Luna shrugged. "C'mon guys! This will be my first Hogsmeade visit!" she said eagerly.

The other two looked at each other, shrugged, and waved goodbye as they began to walk out of the front doors. Harry waved back until they were out of sight. He turned and began to walk towards the dungeons to meet up with Malfoy.

Malfoy was trying to convince Tracey Davis to go to Hogsmeade without him when Harry walked into the hallway outside of the Slytherin Common Room. "Hey Tracey," he greeted her. "Are you coming, Malfoy?"

The girl frowned. "Why can't I just go with you guys. I don't want to go to Hogsmeade by myself."

"Why don't you go with Parkison?" Harry asked.

She shrugged. "I don't like Pansy that much. Why can't you two just come with me. You spend all your time in the library!"

Harry looked to Malfoy, asking for permission, and the Slytherin nodded. Then he looked to her and said, "Alright. We'll go." Tracey gave them both a big smile and took the lead towards the exit. "You know," he whispered, "now we're going to have to ditch her as soon as we get there. We can't bring her along!"

The Gryffindor replied, "We'll just have to find an excuse… or we could tell her the truth— that we're going to meet Sirius."

Malfoy sighed. "She'll want to come along, though!"

"Well… we could put it off," Harry suggested. "Just talk to Sirius about the Task." He received a dry look in response.

"We might not get a chance like this for a while, Potter," he reminded him. "Are you sure you want to?"

Harry shrugged. "I'll be going home for Christmas. Sirius and I could go without you."

"Would you even be allowed? The Yule Ball…"

Harry just shrugged. "They can't force me to do anything or I'll sick my lawyer on them."

"And that would be...?"

"Sirius."

Tracey turned back to the whispering boys. "Are you two coming?" They glanced at each other and ran to catch up with her.

"Hey Tracey…" Harry began. "We were actually planning on going to meet Sirius in Hogsmeade… you don't' mind coming along for that, right?"

The girl just shrugged. "Then why'd you say you were going to the library?" She looked at them then rolled her eyes, "Never mind. Nothing you two do seems to make sense," and kept walking. They walked the familiar path to the village, casually chatting.

They entered the bustling village and headed out of the crowds into the less busy streets. Tracey looked around a asked, "Are we even allowed over here?"

Harry nodded, "Yep."

She looked nervously at the pub they were headed to. The Hog's Head was known for shady figures hanging around it. You get all sorts in the Hog's Head. Students tended to avoid it because of its reputation, so it made for an ideal meeting place to conspire with Sirius. "Are you sure?" she replied nervously. "It doesn't look like we should be here…"

He gave her a confident smile and said, "If you'd prefer not to go in, we'll meet you in the Three Broomsticks later." He hoped that she would agree and go away.

She looked at the shabby building calculatingly as a couple suspicious-looking men with beards walked out of it, and other equally-suspicious men walked in. "I have lots of Christmas shopping to do," she said carefully. "Do you guys mind if I leave you?" Harry wasn't sure if she was actually scared and trying to hide it, or just thinking that they didn't want her there. After all, first they tried to drive her off at the castle, then went to meet up with somebody in a place that they were unlikely to be overheard.

Both shook their heads. "No, we don't mind." Malfoy replied. She nodded and turned to leave.

The time-travellers walked into the Hog's Head. It wasn't busy— the only people in it were the suspicious men they saw enter, Aberforth, and Sirius. Sirius waved them over.

"Do you two want something to drink before we take off?" he asked. Both Harry and Malfoy shook their heads violently. They both knew what the cups at the Hog's Head were like. "Smart choice. So Harry, where are we headed?"

"Little Hangleton," he said plainly. "Remember, this is just a scouting mission. We don't know what might be protecting that ring." His godfather and Malfoy both nodded. "And Sirius, you remember why we aren't just going now, or just jumping in later?"

He scoffed. "Why do you always pick on me?"

"Because out of the three of us, you're the most likely to go in when we get there or complain about having to bother checking the place out in advanced. Now tell me why."

Sirius sighed. "Because people would be suspicious if you guys got seriously injured," he recited. "Happy now? Why does the Malfoy kid have to come, anyways?"

Harry looked to Malfoy for an answer. He didn't know why he was including Malfoy in everything. Sure, they were spending a lot of time together lately, especially with the Tournament and the fact they skipped Care of Magical Creatures together… but they weren't exactly friends… were they? Malfoy just gave them a glare. "Why shouldn't I come?"

The Gryffindor just shrugged at his questioning Godfather and said, "Let's just go."

The three walked out of the pub casually and into a nearby alleyway, where Sirius grabbed their arms and apparated away. They landed on the outskirts of Little Hangleton. Harry looked around. Overlooking the town was the rugged Riddle House and he shuddered.

"Creepy place," Sirius commented, following the direction of Harry's gaze.

He groaned a reply. "How could I be so stupid?" he asked. The other two raised their eyebrows. "That's the Riddle House! The place that Voldemort killed his father in!"

"And?"

"That's where he's hiding out right now!" His tone was urgent and worried. His scar tingled. Voldemort was definitely nearby.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "He's not going to sense where we are, Potter. As long as we don't run in there announcing that we're planning to steal the Horcrux, we'll be fine." He began to walk to the Gaunt Hovel.

Harry had only seen the house in memories, but they didn't do it justice. That, or it was Voldemort's fault the house didn't just look like a hovel— it looked like a ruin. It looked like it could collapse at any moment. Then again, it could just be enchantments making it look unsafe to ward of villagers. Voldemort was impossibly careful with his Horcruxes; the place was probably covered in muggle repelling charms and things of the like.

"Did I have something I was supposed to do today?" Sirius asked as they approached the building. "I feel like I'm forgetting to do something…"

Harry nodded, "I feel it too… it's probably a defence on the house."

"That would make sense."

* * *

When they were finally finished, it was time to return to the castle. Dusk was falling on the peaceful times, and the two time-travellers had to run up to the library before the Dream Team came looking for them. They could easily hide from them in the crowds of students returning to the castle; their only problem was getting to the library before the Dream Team. For all they knew, the group was already there, wondering where they were.

Malfoy grabbed his arm. "There's your friends, Potter, slow down!" Surely, they were, walking a few people ahead of Cho. Cho was walking alone for some reason, and Harry passively wondered why she wasn't with Cedric, or even Marietta and the other Ravenclaws.

"Keep moving, you two," came a familiar voice from behind them. Cedric Diggory had a slightly snappy and annoyed tone.

Harry raised his eyebrow, but continued to move along. He walked more slowly in case the Gryffindors turned around, though. How would he explain being in Hogsmeade when he told them he was going to the library? Especially with Malfoy. Neville was becoming increasingly suspicious of the time he spent with Malfoy. "You alright, Diggory?" he asked. He was probably just having a bad day, but it didn't hurt to check.

"Yeah," he sighed, rubbing his temple. "Cho's just been…" he paused, as if he wasn't sure what word to use. "She hasn't been herself lately."

Malfoy gave him a curious look. "How so?"

He sighed again. "She's just been moody. Ever since she and Marietta got into that fight she's been… different. They haven't talked since," he looked at them and shrugged. "She'll get over it."

Harry turned towards Malfoy and gave him a triumphant smile. Cho wasn't in a bad mood. It sounded like Cho was under the influence of a certain missing Horcrux. Why didn't he see it before? He looked back to the girl and saw she wasn't alone anymore; she was surrounded by her group of friends, minus Marietta.

The two let Cedric walk ahead of them to catch up with his girlfriend. When he was gone, Malfoy whispered, "You think she has it?"

"Of course I do. I've run into Cho a couple times… I wrote it off, thinking she was in a bad mood—"

He cut the other boy off sharply. "With a Horcrux on the loose, you wrote a snappy person off as a bad moon?" he hissed. "Whenever somebody was in a bad mood in Slytherin I was checking for the necklace! How could you be so stupid? Why do I even want to help an idiot like you?"

Harry shrugged, "You think my cause is worthwhile?"

Malfoy responded with a glare. "I just want to be on the winning side of this thing, alright, Potter," he snapped. "It wouldn't be a very strategic move on my part to side with the Dark Lord when you have such an advantage, would it?"

"I guess not." He laughed. "You're such a Slytherin, Malfoy, always thinking about how something would be beneficial to you."

Malfoy crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows. "What that supposed to be an insult? Because if it was, Potter, you're going to have to work on that. I'm proud to be a Slytherin, thank you very much."

"It was merely a statement of fact," he replied.

They were getting close to the castle. The two prepared to throw the cloak on and make a dash for the library as soon as they were passed Filch, and after letting him check their names of the list of students who'd left, they did just that.

Running under the invisibility cloak was not an easy task. After trying, they changed their minds and settled on a very fast walk. They passed the Dream Team, Cho and Cedric and their friends, and Tracey. Harry momentarily felt bad for ditching her, but didn't linger on the thought. She didn't look particularly worked up over the fact the two left her alone.

They threw off the cloak right outside the library and walked in casually. They walked over to the bookshelves, removed a large amount of books on defensive spells, and dropped them on their normal table. They managed to make two piles— one represented _read_ books, and the other (larger) pile representing _unread_— and open two random books to random places before the Dream Team arrived. Ron wasn't with them.

Immediately, Hermione announced, "Hagrid wants us to tell you to meet him down at his cabin at midnight."

Pretending to look shocked, he replied, "Whatever for?"

She shrugged. "How should I know? He didn't tell me." She took a seat on his left. "Found anything?

Harry gave her an exasperated look. He deserved a pat on the back for his acting skills. "I don't know what I'm looking for."

"The first task is to test daring," Malfoy told them, "so we're looking up defensive spells." For some reason, his attitude made Harry wonder if he, too, was acting.

"Exactly. We could be completely off the mark and go in without any direction." He sighed. "This is going to be the worst year of my life."

"I signed up for this. Do you know how many detentions Snape gave me over it?" he admitted and gave an annoyed look. "He says that when it's over, if I loose— and don't' die, of course— I'll be _expelled_."

"I'm just hoping to survive."

Hermione gave them both pitying looks. Luna and Neville, on the other hand, didn't seem to know what to do. "Need any help?" the bookworm asked.

Malfoy snapped, "Not from a mudblood like you." Harry reached over and hit him.

She gave an unreadable look. "I wasn't talking to you," she said neutrally. "I'm sorry Harry; I don't think I want to be in his presence anymore." She turned on her heals and stalked off.

Neville looked from Harry to Hermione and said, "I don't know how you can stand him, mate," before following after her. Luna trailed after them unsurely, giving a last glance to the two time-travellers before exiting.

"That was rude," Harry retorted.

He shrugged back. "It got rid of her, didn't it?"

He growled. "What gave you the idea I wanted her gone?"

"Well," the Slytherin began, "I'd think you'd be bored of the same people all the time. Especially because you're having to live through them growing up the second time. You can tell me the truth, Potter. You can't _not_ be bored to tears by them."

Harry stood up. "Unlike Crabbe and Goyle, Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Luna are interesting people," he replied angrily. "And I, unlike you, am actually a _friend_. They're the same people I left behind, only more innocent." Malfoy was standing too by this time and Harry couldn't help himself. He punched him in the face as hard as he could muster. Malfoy recoiled, grabbing his nose and giving him a shocked look. "Now," Harry said spitefully, "I'm going to make sure my _friend_ wasn't hurt by your _ignorant _comment."

And he turned away and stalked out after Hermione.


	23. Warp 1, Year 4, Part 7

I'm sorry for being late. I got a pretty bad case of Writer's Block halfway through the chapter, and it pretty much sat half-completed for a week before I could even get down what I have. I'll try to get the next chapter out by next Saturday, but no promises. It's shaping up to be problomatic too. Thanks to all my reveiwers, though! You guys are all awesome!

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And---_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

Thanks to _swanpride_ for being my plot beta!

* * *

**Book 4, Chapter 20: The First Task; Chapter 23: The Unexpected Task; Chapter 24: The Yule Ball**

**Warp 1, Year 4 (part 7), Chapter 22: The Two Tasks**

* * *

The morning of the First Task, Harry woke up much more nervous than he thought he would be. He felt as if there were a hundred stones weighing him down as he trudged down to the Great Hall. He would be facing a dragon. It was likely to be the Horntail. Sure he had a plan and he'd done it before, but he was doing it _again_.

One would think that in this situation he'd be extremely calm, but that wasn't the case. He was facing off with a _dragon_. He had to get passed an _angry_ dragon. It didn't _matter_ that he'd done it before, he knew that every single little difference he did would change something. He knew for a fact he wasn't going to fly the exact same way he did before.

It was a giant, fire-breathing _dragon_.

Harry felt sick to his stomach. He sat down at the Gryffindor table, giving Malfoy a single glace before focusing on his bacon and eggs. The Slytherin looked worse off than he did. Hermione noticed and said, "That _thing_ doesn't know, does he?"

"Maybe," the nervous boy replied. "I didn't tell him, but Malfoy has his own sources."

"Snape, probably," Ron guessed.

He shrugged. "Maybe."

The Fourth Champion just barely managed to eat his breakfast, and one it was down he had other worries. Namely, it coming back up. He carefully took another sip of water as he felt his stomach churn. Luna bit her lip. "You look green," she said, worried. He was sure that under different circumstances she would have blamed his discolouration on some sort of non-existent being, but she didn't say a thing.

"Potter, the champions have to come down onto the grounds now… You have to get ready for your first task," McGonagall told him. She'd had snuck up behind him when he wasn't paying attention. He silently scolded himself. He had to be more alert! He was about to face off with a dragon!

"Good luck, Harry," Hermione whispered. "You'll be fine!"

He just gave her a dry look. "Yeah," he replied as calmly as he could.

He followed McGonagall out of the Great Hall, barely even registering that Malfoy and Snape joined up with them at the doors. Malfoy was worse off then he was. The other time traveller was literally shaking in fright.

"Don't panic," McGonagall told him. "Just keep a cool head… We've got wizards standing by to control the situation if it gets out of hand… The main thing is just to do your best, and nobody will think any the worse of you… Are you all right?"

Harry sighed. "Yeah," he said, although that definitely wasn't the truth. Sure, he'd done this before, but the thought didn't calm him down any more than it already had.

"You're to go in here with the other champions," said Professor McGonagall. She spoke carefully, but it was obvious she was just as nervous about the ordeal as he was. "Mr. Bagman is in there… he'll be telling you the— the procedure… Good luck."

Harry didn't pay nearly as much attention to the other nervous champions as he did last time. Instead, he carefully ran over his top-secret plan. Summon the broom, hide behind rock until broom arrives, mount broom, out-fly dragon, and retrieve egg. It was simple enough and the same as last time. He could do it.

"Well, now we're all here - time to fill you in!" Bagman announced from behind Harry enthusiastically. "When the audience has assembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag," he held up a small sack of purple silk and shook it at them, "from which you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face! There are different— er— varieties, you see. And I have to tell you something else too… ah, yes… your task is to collect the golden egg!"

On his left, Malfoy shuddered. The git was obviously regretting putting his name in the Goblet _now_.

Bagman held out a purple sack to Fleur, and said, "Ladies first." Without a word, the girl stuck her shaking hand into the small sack. The Welsh Green with the number two around its neck. The same as last time. Next, he held it to Krum, who drew the Chinese Fireball, number three. Bagman next held the bag to Malfoy. Harry guessed half-heartedly that the other boy would pull out Cedric's dragon. Number one, the Swedish Short-Snout.

It wasn't. Draco Malfoy pulled the fourth dragon. He drew the Hungarian Horntail. The Slytherin's green face instantaneously turned three or four shades darker.

Confidently, he reached in and pulled out the Short-Snout. He felt so much calmer. He only had a Short-Snout. Compared to the Horntail… he really hoped that Malfoy came up with a plan.

"Can I have a quick word Harry?" Bagman asked quietly.

Harry shook his head. "No," he said. "I think I'd prefer to take this time to come up with a plan. I am going first, after all."

A whistle blew. Bagman looked at Harry. "That's our cue," he told him. "C'mon."

He entered the enclosure and raised his wand confidently, just barely giving the dragon a glance. "Accio Firebolt!" he yelled. Then he had to wait. The Firebolt was carefully placed at the window, but it couldn't arrive instantaneously.

A bolt of fire was approaching him. It took a moment to realize it, but when he did, he was out of the way, hiding behind a boulder. He quickly searched the sky. The broomstick was fast-approaching. "Ready," he muttered as it sped towards him. He took a deep breath and took its handle.

"Great Scott! He can fly!"

* * *

As the final Champion walked into the tent, Harry couldn't help but ask, "What'd you do?" even though he was trying_ not_ to speak to Malfoy. The rest of the Dream Team gave him a glare. They really didn't like him associating with Malfoy after the _Mudblood-incident_. For the most part, he didn't.

"Terrible," the other time-traveller told him. "I'll probably be in last. Father is going to kill me."

"What did you do?" he asked. He didn't know what the Slytherin's plan was, after all.

Malfoy sighed as Madam Pomfrey rushed over to attend to the large gash in his right shoulder and the burn that covered almost his whole left arm. "I tried to distract it— turned a boulder into a dog… the Horntail lost interest in it when I moved and then I just started shooting Conjunctivas Curses."

Harry grimaced. "That doesn't sound very pleasant…"

Immediately, Malfoy replied, "No."

Harry turned to Neville on his right and asked him, "Could you check his score? I'm curious…" The Gryffindor boy just shrugged and left without a word.

He returned quickly enough and announced, "He's in third place."

Harry nodded. "I expected as much. Even if you did terrible, that was an advanced piece of transfiguration. NEWT level," he gave the other boy a threatening glare. "Your fourteen, they had to give you some credit there."

Malfoy paled. "Oh yeah, it is, isn't it."

Hermione looked excited though. "Really!" she exclaimed, but Ron put his hand on her shoulder.

"You don't want to be associating with _his kind_, Hermione, even for something like this."

* * *

"The Yule Ball is approaching—a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialize with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth years and above— although you may invite a younger student if you wish—"

Harry already knew who he was going to ask first. He was going to ask Cho Chang and see if he could get close enough to her to snatch the necklace. If Cho said no he would just ask Ginny… or Luna. Luna didn't go to the ball last time, but Ginny had gone with Neville.

Lavender and Parvati began to giggle. They both gave Harry glances.

"Dress robes will be worn," Professor McGonagall continued, giving Ron a pointed look, "and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight in the Great Hall. Now then—The Yule Ball is of course a chance for us all to—er— let our hair down," her tone was disapproving. "But that does _not_ mean that we will be relaxing the standards of behaviour we expect from Hogwarts students. I will be most seriously displeased if a Gryffindor student embarrasses the school in any way."

The bell rang and Harry was instantaneously out of his seat and out the door. He didn't feel like listening to McGonagall explaining what the Champions had to do at the ball. He didn't stop running until he's almost reached the Grand Staircases.

And that was because he ran straight into Marietta Edgecombe. "Sorry," he told her.

She scrunched her nose. "You'd better be," she snapped angrily. Harry just rolled his eyes. He always hated Marietta… okay, maybe not before she sold out Dumbledore's Army…

She was Cho's very best friend though. "Have you seen Cho anywhere?" he asked carefully.

"Chang?" she answered, her voice dripping with spite. "No. We have a free period next. I'm not her keeper."

"Sorry to bother you then," he ended their conversation in a passive tone, which was hard to do because of her glare, and began to run again.

It wasn't as disorienting to try and ask Cho to the ball this time around. He found her at dinner that night and bravely blurted it out. She giggled and said, "Cedric's already asked me."

He shrugged and returned to the Gryffindor table. "Hey Ginny," he called down the table to the group of gloomy looking third year girls. "Would you like to go to the ball with me?"

Ginny giggled, just like Cho had, and said, "Of course I would, Potter!" and that was the end of that.

"My sister?" Ron hissed.

Harry just smiled. "It doesn't mean anything, Ron," he assured him. "It's just that a third year would be less likely to turn me down, and Ginny and Luna are the only two I know."

"Why couldn't you take Luna?"

Harry hit his head against the table. "You couldn't have taken your sister as a date, could you?" Ron shaped his mouth into an O shape. "Yeah…"

"Who'll Neville take then?"

Said boy turned to them. "Hermione," he told them. "Hey Hermione, would you like to go to the ball with me?"

Hermione smiled. "I'd be honoured, Neville."

Ron looked to Harry and then to Neville. "You guys sure move fast," he said. "Luna, would you like to go to the ball with me?"

Christmas Day arrived quickly and Harry was still ignoring his fellow time-traveller. Malfoy hadn't really made any attempt to apologize, so Harry wasn't going to make an attempt to make up with him either.

* * *

He hadn't gone home for Christmas like he'd been planning. Remus, not thinking that he would even consider coming home for Christmas, booked a vacation for two to Spain as Sirius's Christmas present. He claimed to have thirteen years worth of Christmas presents to make up for. Harry had responded, "And me?" He expected some sort of big present next year.

Preparing for the ball was much simpler this time. Because Ginny and Hermione were Gryffindors, and Luna was an honorary Gryffindor, they didn't have to meet anybody in the Entrance Hall. Hermione charmed off the lace on Ron's dress robes neatly, and although it wasn't the best-looking one he'd ever seen, it was a lot more presentable than last time.

The six climbed out of the portrait hole and trooped down to the Great Hall, which was decorated the exact same as it was last time. Harry and Ginny lined up with the Champions where McGonagall was calling them all.

Fleur was hanging off the arm of Roger Davis. She looked beautiful. Not as beautiful as she did (will?) on her wedding day, but she still was absolutely stunning. Malfoy and Tracy Davis had their arms linked together and Harry momentarily wondered why he wasn't with Greengrass. He was sure the two were engaged last time. Krum was with a seventh year that Harry had never met before. He didn't look very happy about it, and she was obviously one of his giggling fan-girls. Obviously, the Drumstrang boy didn't get to Hermione in time.

Once everybody was in the Hall, Professor McGonagall told the champions and their partners to get in line in pairs and to follow her. They did so, and everyone in the Great Hall applauded as they entered and started walking up toward a large round table at the top of the Hall, where the judges were sitting.

They reached the table and took their seats. Harry and Ginny were next to Percy— Crouch was obviously unable to come anymore. "I've been promoted," Percy said before Ginny could ask. "I'm now Mr. Crouch's personal assistant, and I'm here representing him."

"Really?" his sister replied, faking excitement very well. "Why didn't he come himself?"

"I'm afraid to say Mr. Crouch isn't well, not well at all. Hasn't been right since the World Cup. Hardly surprising— overwork. He's not as young as he was— though still quite brilliant, of course, the mind remains as great as it ever was. But the World Cup was a fiasco for the whole…"

Harry tuned out Percy before he was even halfway through his speech. By the look on Ginny's face, she seemed to be doing the same. "Has he stopped calling you _Weatherby_ yet?" she said after he finished babbling.

He opened his mouth to respond, but then closed his mouth and looked away from the two and began to chat with Bagman, on his left.

Dumbledore ordered first, and Harry looked over to Hermione. He couldn't hear her over the buzz of everybody ordering and talking, but by the look on her face it was obvious that she was telling everybody around her how much extra work this would be for the house elves.

"Glad I'm not over there," Ginny said to him, following his gaze. "Poor Neville and Luna."

"Not Ron?" he replied with his eyebrow raised.

She shrugged. "Of course not."

Last time Harry had listened in on everybody else's conversations, but this time he was happy to hold his own with his date. This time Ginny was already over being star-struck. Last time he practically ignored her existence, after all. This time they'd had more than just one or tow conversations. Of course, he couldn't go as far as say she was as interesting to talk to as Luna, but she was more interesting to talk to than Parvati.

"Come on," she said eventually. "We're supposed to dance now." She didn't seem overly enthusiastic about that.

Harry was a much better dancer than Ginny. Last time, after the war, Hermione and Ginny dragged him and Ron to dozens of dance lessons. It was after he proposed to Ginny that they came up with this plan; he needed to be able to dance for their wedding, after all.

"Nice socks, Potter," Junior growled as they passed him.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Thanks, I guess."

"He's creepy," she pointed out. "I mean… _why_ was he looking at your socks?"

He shrugged. "Maybe he thought I was hiding grenades in my shoes so I could assassinate him."

She giggled, and then asked, "What's a grenade anyways?"

"A muggle explosive device."

* * *

"Let's get some air," Ginny suggested, standing up and grabbing Harry's arm. They were the only two at the table besides Ron. Neville was dancing with both Hermione and Luna, and Ron wasn't being very good company. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but there. Ron stood up to go with them and Ginny growled. "Harry and I, Ron. I don't need my brother coming with me everywhere."

Harry laughed. "It's alright, Ron. I'm sure when Luna comes back she'd enjoy a walk too. It's nargle season, you know."

They left the Hall carefully and walked through the paths in the garden only to nearly walk right into a conversation between Death Eaters. Harry quickly pulled his partner back as to not be spotted turning the corner into two men. "Severus, you cannot pretend this isn't happening! It's been getting clearer and clearer for months. I am becoming seriously concerned, I can't deny it—"

"Then flee," Snape replied curtly. "Flee— I will make your excuses. I, however, am remaining at Hogwarts." The two turned the corner. Snape was angrily blasting apart rosebushes. "Ten points from Ravenclaw, Fawcett!" Snape snarled as said girl ran passed him. "And ten points from Hufflepuff too, Stebbins!" as he went rushing after her. "And what are you two doing?" he added to Ginny and Harry.

"We're walking," Ginny said.

Harry nodded. "Last I checked there weren't any restrictions on coming out here."

"Then keep walking," Snape snapped angrily before stalking off, robes billowing as usual, with Karkaroff on his heels.

Harry just gave Ginny a shrug and the two kept walking. "Wonder what's got Karkaroff worked up…" she said rhetorically. He didn't answer and kept walking.

"Momen' I saw yeh, I knew," Hagrid was saying as they turned the corner to see the two large figures on a stone bench. Harry looked around. Rita was somewhere nearby.

"What did you know, 'Agrid?" Madame Maxine replied. Ginny tugged on Harry's sleeve, trying to pull him away from the private conversation. He knew that he'd seen her, so she couldn't have been in the bushes. Maybe the stone reindeer they were behind? Yes, he saw her.

"I jus' knew… knew you were like me… Was it yer mother or yer father?" A little beetle was sitting on the stone reindeer.

"I— I don't know what you mean, 'Agrid…" Harry carefully moved closer to the reporter, not even remembering that Ginny was right beside him as her grip on his arm loosened up.

"It was my mother," said Hagrid quietly. "She was one o' the las' ones in Britain. 'Course, I can' remember her too well… she left, see. When I was abou' three. She wasn' really the maternal sort. Well… it's not in their natures, is it? Dunno what happened to her… might be dead fer all I know…" That was the perfect moment to grab her, he decided, because she was probably absorbed in the conversation.

"Me dad was broken-hearted when she wen'. Tiny little bloke, my dad was. By the time I was six I could lift him up an' put him on top o' the dresser if he annoyed me. Used ter make him laugh… Dad raised me… but he died, o' course, jus' after I started school. Sorta had ter make me own way after that. Dumbledore was a real help, mind. Very kind ter me, he was…"

He cupped his hands above her carefully, and then swiftly dropped them down. "Got you," he mumbled, slipping her between his hands and cupping them together and backing away.

"So… anyway… enough abou' me. What about you? Which side you got it on?"

"C'mon Ginny," he muttered to her. "It's time we take our leave."

"No," she said. "I'm interested."

"C'mon Ginny, this is none of our business!"

"Where's your sense of adventure?" she insisted.

"Another half-giant, o' course!" Hagrid's voice was loud. Too loud.

Ginny gasped loudly and Harry decided to avert the catastrophe. Walking out, keeping his hands cupped on Rita, he said, "You know you shouldn't be spouting those secrets where anybody could hear," he announced his presence. "I mean, Ginny and I here don't care, but you never know who else could've been hiding if we were."

"Harry? What're you doin' 'ere?"

"I was walking," he said. "And now I'm leaving, but I'm just making sure you realize that anybody could be listening in on you. Bye Hagrid, bye Madame Maxine." He walked off without giving Hagrid a chance to reply, nudging Ginny with his elbow. She followed after him, giving Hagrid a nervous smile.


	24. Warp 1, Year 4, Part 8

**I sincerity apologize for the wait. Like, extreme sorry. **First I hit writers block, then when I was ready to actually start the chapter my computer literally died. I could browse the 'net on my mom's laptop, but I wasn't allowed to save any files onto her computer. The simplest thing would be to wait, so I did. Then, when I finally got my computer back, exams started and I was literally swamped. Now that summer has started I'm working on my G1. I really did try hard on this chapter. This is the fifth version of it. This is the first I've been even remotely happy with.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And-_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

**Book 4, Chapter 25: Rita Skeeter's Scoop; Chapter 25: The Egg and the Eye**

**Warp 1, Year 4 (part 8), Chapter 23: Removing Rita So Life Can Go On**

* * *

The first thing Harry did after leaving Hagrid was to tell Ginny he had to use the loo, wait for her to be out of sight and back in the Great Hall, and run off to the second floor toilets. He opened the door with his elbow— it was a push door— and slipped inside carefully. "Hallo Harry."

"Not now, Myrtle, I'm busy. " He fumbled around for a moment or two before he could safely take his left hand to transfigure a jar. He dropped the beetle into it and closed the lid.

Harry stared at the bug in the jar for a very long time. "You're a pretty beetle, you know that? I think I'm going to keep you." It took all Harry Potter's willpower to keep a straight face as he pretended to be ignorant of Rita's true identity as a human being, not a beetle.

Rita flew around the bottle in a panic, obviously not looking forward to having to go back to being a human inside the bottle and break it on her. Considering the idea, Harry said, "I'll just put an unbreakable charm on this so none of the guys accidentally break it…"

The journalist was even more frantic with this statement. Harry couldn't help but laugh. "I'm kidding, Rita," he revealed. "I won't be kidding if you don't listen to my conditions of freedom, though."

She stopped flying around the jar and landed on the glass.

"You'd have to stop trying to make a focus of my friends and me in your articles… as little mention of me as you can get by without looking as if you're avoiding me as a topic… you can say anything you want about Malfoy, if you'd like. I need revenge on him… but how can I make you obey once you're out…" He rubbed his forehead.

"Perhaps an Unbreakable Vow… except I don't know how to cast one. Maybe I could consult Malfoy in the morning? Could you stay in there overnight? Probably, so I'll just…" he paused. He couldn't bring a jar into the ball. He could cast an unbreakable spell and leave her in Myrtle's bathroom, or he could cast an unbreakable spell and hide her somewhere better, like the Room of Requirement.

He sighed. He didn't want Rita knowing about that special room while it could have more potential for use as an almost completely secret room. Drawing his wand, Harry told her, "I'll put you in the farthest stall, alright. I'll be back either tonight or tomorrow to deal with you." He waved his wand and said the spell loud enough that she could clearly know what it was, and then he put her in place.

The room slammed after him, leaving Rita alone with a curious Moaning Myrtle.

* * *

The next time somebody entered the second floor girl's toilets was at five the next morning. "Seriously, Potter," Draco Malfoy was saying as the door opened, "why did you want to meet me here at five in the morning, anyways?"

Harry Potter replied, "Because I finally caught Skeeter… and don't know how Unbreakable Vows work besides the fact that if you break them, you die…"

Malfoy snorted. "You want one of those just to get Skeeter off your back?" He chuckled. "A little extreme, don't you think?"

The Gryffindor shrugged. "I don't know what else to do that could be equally effective to stop her, let alone anything that could be more effective."

"Killing her, perhaps?"

Harry shot him an angry look. "I wasn't kidding around."

"Well, neither was I."

"Can we just get on with it?" the exhausted teen shot back. "I just want to finish this." He opened the stall door and saw Rita in her place, with Myrtle staring contently at the jar.

"Can I keep her, Harry?" she said without looking away from the beetle.

Malfoy looked at the scene and laughed. It must have looked very strange— a jar sitting on the back of a toilet and a ghost sitting cross-legged on the open seat, keeping her eyes fixed on the beetle in the jar, and asking if she could keep it. "That would be equally, if not more, effective than an Unbreakable Vow," he stated.

Harry turned and stared at his fellow time-traveller. "You're kidding," he said it as if were a fact, although he was quite aware that Malfoy was absolutely serious. "Myrtle," he addressed the ghost with caution, "I can't keep a human captive just because they write bad things about me… if that gets out to the press, I'm in deep trouble. I'll get you a cat, or a house-elf, or something, alright?"

Myrtle turned around so quickly that it wouldn't have been physically possible for a living being. "Would you really get me a cat?" She sounded very excited. It was a weird expression on Myrtle, happiness.

"If you'd like one—"

"— you are way too nice to this ghost, Potter."

"Ignore Malfoy. Can we take Rita now?" Myrtle nodded happily and moved aside, going through the stall and to her own.

"Why'd you make an offer like that, Potter?" Malfoy asked sarcastically, and Harry silently agreed. Sometimes Harry didn't like the way he handled his life. That moment was one of those times. He had to buy a cat for Myrtle? Why did he have to make an offer like that?

With a sigh, Harry grabbed the jar and handed it to Malfoy. "So, tell me how this is going to work."

"I'll be the caster. You just need to say your conditions, and do them one at a time. So start off with something like…" He paused and cleared his throat and mimicked Harry's voice as he said, "Will you, Rita Skeeter, refrain from writing articles that focus on myself… but," he reverted back to his own voice, "you have to be careful about what you say. Sometimes what you say might have a loophole or, in your attempt to prevent loopholes, be too constricting and her lack of anything about you in her articles will look overly suspicious."

"So… what, exactly, should I say?"

"Say something about writing only the truth," Malfoy suggested. "Make her run any article she writes that mentions you through you… anything else specific you might want to mention?"

"What she heard Hagrid say to Madame Maxine, of course…"

"Do you think you can start now? I'll let out Skeeter." He opened the lid with a smirk.

Rita was a human again almost immediately. "I refuse!" she said.

Harry smirked. "Well, what if I threatened to reveal to the Ministry exactly what you are, illegally? Because I could do it in a matter of an hour."

Rita bit her lip. "I'll take my chances and run?" she said, unsure for once, eyeing the wand in Malfoy's hand.

"I'll stun you if you try," he said. "And then drop you in the Chamber of Secrets."

Harry gave Malfoy a quick glare. "He's kidding about that last part." The Slytherin gave him a look that said he really wasn't kidding.

"I have no choice, do I?" she sighed.

Harry grinned happily. "Not at all."

"Alright, then," she said. "Alright." Harry snatched her hand up and Malfoy carefully placed the tip of his wand on their handshake. The Bonder gave Harry a nod.

"Will you," he said, his hesitancy shaking his voice, "Rita Skeeter, never again write any article with anything but absolute facts in it?" Malfoy gave him another nod that Harry interpreted as meaning _acceptable_.

"I will," said Rita.

A thin rope of flame wound itself around their hands.

"And will you send any article that has me in it at all to me for approval before it is published and not publish it until I've sent my approval?"

"I will."

A second flame interlinked with the first.

"And will you never say or write a word about Hagrid and what you overheard in the garden last night?"

Rita gulped. "I will."

The third, final rope of fire, shot from the wand and bound itself around the two hands, almost as if it were alive. As if it was a fiery snake.

* * *

After the Yule Ball, everything at Hogwarts went back to normal— or, at least, whatever normal that could be achieved at a magical school.

The Dream Team was up to their usual adventure-seeking ways, much to Harry's annoyance, and was trying to figure who put Harry's name in the tournament. ("I bet it's Snape!" Ron had suggested on multiple occasions.) Harry would deny any involvement with their antics when asked, but he was dragged in every single time they'd do anything.

Malfoy and Harry's kind-of friendship went back to how it was before, too. The two would spend hours in the Room of Requirement playing around, duelling, talking and planning for the future, and generally just hanging around.

"We really should figure out how to take that Horcrux from Cho," Malfoy pointed out one evening in January as they explored the Room of Hidden Things. They were sitting a ways apart, Malfoy on an old wodden desk and Harry on a pillow the floor.

Harry groaned. "Yeah, we should." He looked to his ally and sighed. "We could always break into their common room during the night—"

"—Cho is a girl," Malfoy cut in and pointed out.

The Gryffindor groaned. "You have a very good point. We could do it James Bond style or something?"

"What?" obviously, the pureblood didn't get that reference.

"We could be like ninjas," Harry tried. "Scale the walls... or something... we could levitate each other over the giant slide the stairs become?"

Malfy sighed. "There are probably more defences than just that."

"Yes," Harry agreed. "That's why we should take our time to study the defences on the girl's dorms for a while before we try. I could have Ron help me try to get up there to... prank Hermione, or something... you could attempt it to visit Davis or something somehow?"

"Just tell your stupid Dream Team the project," said Malfoy with distaste. "They'll be willing to all help you if you say it's a project of yours to find a way into the girl's dorms. You don't need my help.'"

"Alright, I will, then." Harry stood up. "You know, I think this is some sort of storage room," he said passively, "not a place to hide things. How did the Vanishing Cabinet got here in the first place, for one? Students didn't put it here. Obviously some sort of teacher decided to hide it in here so nobody throws anybody in it again."

Malfoy jumped down off the desk and said, "I bet you're right, Potter."

Harry smiled for a moment, looked around and then frowned. "By the way," he said with a slight nervous laugh, "where's the exit?"

Malfoy shrugged, "I dunno. I hadn't been paying attention."

Harry climbed onto Malfoy's desk and stood on it, looking above the piles of random objects. "This is just wonderful."

* * *

"So, how's the egg going?" Hermione asked, trying to sound casual and failing, the next morning at breakfast.

Harry shrugged a little. He didn't really know what to say about the egg. He'd already checked quickly that it was the same, and it was. His most important person would be taken from him. Ron, Neville, Luna, Hermione, or Ginny would sit at the bottom of the lake until he could reach them. "No idea," he lied. They hadn't seen him put any work into figuring out what it said, so he couldn't just tell them, Y_eah, I figured it out._

"It could be a Screaming Space Singer," Luna said. "You can only hear them when there's no air or anything. Well, you can hear them, but it's screaming. Their voice only travels properly when there's no air."

Hermione gave her an annoyed look. "Luna, they can't expect the champions to go into _outer space _to figure out what the clue is saying."

Ron snorted. "Like it would be possible anyways." Hermione and Harry ignored his comment, but Neville nodded his agreement.

Harry paused for a minute. Luna was smarter than people thought. While she wasn't saying that it was mermaids— that would be too logical and plain for Luna— she was on the right track. He wondered if she did it on purpose or by accident. "Perhaps Luna's right," he said.

His long-time friend looked at him completely shocked. You would think that he just suggested building a summer home in the middle of the Forbidden Forest. "Stop it, Harry," she said. "That's absurd!"

He laughed. "I didn't mean it like that, Hermione. I meant she might be right that the screeching will sound different when it's not in air."

If possible, her eyes grew wider. "I am not going to let you go into space, Harry!" she said loud enough for half the hall to look over in amazement, probably wondering what in the world they were discussing.

"I didn't mean it like that," he told her. "I meant, say, underwater or something."

Ron snorted. "Yeah, like that'll work." Neville hit his shoulder and made an annoyed gesture.

"No," Hermione said after a moment. "That does make perfect sense." Harry raised his eyebrow, hoping for elaboration. "Mermaids," she said. "Do you think there are mermaids in the Black Lake?"

"Probably."

She stood up, excited, and dragged him out of the hall. "We'll just head off to Hogsmeade without you, then," he heard Ron call after them. She didn't let go, pulling him up the stairs to the Gryffindor Tower, up into the boy's dormitories, and pushed him into the bathroom.

"Fill the tub," she said. "I'll get the egg."

He sighed and followed her orders. She was back in the bathroom by the time that the bath was full. She dropped the egg in and Harry said, "I'm not stripping and getting in there."

She rolled her eyes. "Put your head under," she ordered. "I'll lean over and open the egg. Just listen."

And he did.

_Come seek us where our voices sound,_

_We cannot sing above the ground,_

_And while you're searching, ponder this,_

_We've taken what you'll sorely miss._

_An hour long you'll have to look,_

_To discover what we've took,_

_But past an hour— the prospect's black,_

_Too late, it's gone, it won't come back._


	25. Warp 1, Year 4, Part 9

Would you believe that I wrote this chapter in one go? Well, most of it. The last five-hundred words or so were the next day, and the last thousand-four-hundred or so were supposed to be in the next chapter, but when I got to the end of the scene I realized I could tie it in with the idea of this chapter, so here you go.

**EDIT:** Just a paragraph somewhere in the middle. My plot beta is back on, so she told me to add an explaination of why Harry didn't use Gillyweed when he knew it was more effective.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And-_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

**Book 4, Chapter 26: The Second Task; Chapter 27: Padfoot Returns**

**Warp 1, Year 4 (part 9), Chapter 24: An Hour's Time**

* * *

February the twenty-fourth approached quickly, and Harry didn't put much effort into preparing for the task. He'd practiced holding the Bubble-Head charm a couple of times just in case, but he didn't stress about it at all.

The morning of the task had Hermione in a fit about how he would probably drown or be attacked by water-creatures. "Everything will be fine, Hermione," he reminded him once more as they stood in the Great Hall that morning.

She scowled at him. "But Harry, you didn't do anything!"

"I learned the Bubble-Head charm, didn't I?"

"In a matter of a couple of hours!" she said angrily. "Harry, I'm worried for you."

Ron snorted. "Has Harry ever had a problem with anything before?" he said rhetorically. Neville nodded his agreement. "Where's Luna, anyways? If we wait much longer, we'll be late."

The fourth champion shrugged. "She might just be late," he said.

Hermione put her hand to her mouth. "Harry, did we ever actually consider what they might be taking from you?"

He shrugged. "What I'll miss most, of course. Probably a person…"

"Do you think they took Luna?" Neville asked carefully.

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. I only love Luna as much as I love the rest of you—"

Hermione cut him off. "It's not just that. It's who you'd miss most! It could be Luna. You'd miss having Luna to talk crazy with more than you'd miss me bothering you into studying…" she trailed off.

He smiled at her. "Nahh, I'd miss you the same." He patted her back and she smiled back. "Do you think we should just go?"

Neville nodded. "No use waiting for her if she's not—"

"I'm here, I'm here!" Luna called as she ran towards them. "I couldn't find my left shoe," she said when she reached them.

Harry looked down to her bare feet. "I see you didn't." She shook her head. "I'll give you mine, then."

"Oh no," she replied. "I'll be perfectly alright."

He rolled his eyes. "I'll have to take them off to jump in the lake anyways, Luna. You'll be out here in the cold the entire time. It's February—"

"I've done it before," she said. "I like walking around barefoot in the snow. Besides, it's only an hour or so."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Luna, you are one of a kind. I'll give you my shoes whether you wear them or not." He reached down and began to untie the laces. Hermione smacked him.

"It's no use having two of you walk around barefooted," she said. "At least wait until you don't need them anymore."

As they began to walk, Ron asked, "Then who'd Harry's miss most if it's not one of us?"

* * *

"All right. Harry?" Bagman whispered as he moved Harry a few feet farther away from Krum. "Know what you're going to do?"

"Yeah," Harry replied casually. "Now can you please leave me alone?"

The man looked taken aback. "Er… yes, yes of course." He moved away from Harry, but gave him a quick pat on the back. "_Snorus_," he cast. "Well, all our champions are ready for the second task, which will start on my whistle. They have precisely an hour to recover what has been taken from them. On the count of three, then. One… two… three!"

A shrill whistle was blown and Harry quickly cast his charm. He only half-noticed Fleur doing the same, Malfoy stuffing gillyweed into his mouth, and Krum transfiguring his head into that of a shark.

He was planning on using gillyweed, but somewhere along the line he realized the complications of getting it. He didn't want to steal it from Snape— he wouldn't give it to him if he asked— and he couldn't go into Hogsmeade until after the task. He could always use a secret passageway and the cloak, but he had to be seen to buy it. He only chose the Bubble-Head for simplicity.

Almost as if they were given another cue, the four jumped into the lake at the exact same moment.

The experience of being in the lake was different than last time. He could remember the effects of gillyweed clearly, and using a Bubble-Head charm was quite different and much more comfortable. He took a minute to look around, not noting that the other champions all took off in different directions.

Harry swum forward until he couldn't see the bottom of the lake anymore and then pushed himself downwards. He noted that it was much easier to swim with gillyweed than with the Bubble-Head charm. He couldn't remember exactly where he was headed, but the bottom of the lake would be the best place to start.

The bottom was dark and Harry breathed his air deeply. He couldn't see more than ten feet in front of him. He watched the different fish carefully, watching for grindylows the best he could.

It took about ten minutes by Harry's guess to see one. It didn't notice him, but when it did, it charged. "Dammit," he muttered, drawing his wand. Four others attacked him from behind and when the first grabbed his arm his wand fell loose and began to drift away. He swore loudly and pulled out a small knife from his pocket with his left arm. He slashed at the first grindylow and kicked at the other water demons before taking off as fast as he could after the wand.

Luckily, he reached it before it got too far away. He wrapped his fingers around it and yelled, "Relashio!", pointing it at them. He did it a couple more times and swam on.

He only saw a couple more from then on and would shoot them with jets of boiling water. "I should have asked Myrtle to come down or something and help," he muttered to himself, wondering if she was down in the lake this time.

"What about me," a certain shrill voice asked from behind. "I can't hear you very well."

He was very much relieved with her presence. He gestured for her to come closer and she stuck her head into his bubble. "When are you going to get me my cat?"

He sighed. "Later, Myrtle. Where are the merpeople?"

She cocked her head to the side. "Is that what you're looking for?"

"Yeah," he replied.

She laughed. "You're going in the wrong direction, Harry."

He swore again, and it made her laugh. "I'll lead you as close as I can, if you'd like."

"As long as we can swim higher up," he said. "The grindylows are getting annoying."

"They can't touch me."

He sighed. "Me, Myrtle. It's faster without them bothering me. Thanks so much, by the way."

So she led him upwards and almost completely across the lake by Harry's reckoning. Finally, she said, "I can't go any farther. Go down and forward and I expect a cat soon."

"As soon as possible," he said, reminding himself to ask Sirius to bring a cat to the third task. "I'll have to bring her home over the holidays, though." She opened her mouth, probably to protest, and he cut her off. "Now's not the time, Myrtle. I'll visit you later or something to figure it all out. Thanks again." And he left before she could respond.

_"An hour long you'll have to look,_

_And to recover what we took…"_

He knew he was getting closer as their song got louder.

The city was the same as before, and he focused completely on going forward. He didn't know who his hostage might be, but he suspected Ginny. As he got closer he thought and thought about it. Who would he miss most? He had to admit that he'd miss Malfoy— only because he would probably go insane if there wasn't somebody else who remembered the past (future?)— all of the Dream Team whom he knew were all in the stands, and almost everybody who died and he missed would be on the list of people he would.

The hostages were in the same place as last time, sleeping peacefully; Tracy Davis, Gabrielle Delecour, and Sirius Black were tired together, and there were some cut ropes that must've been Krum's hostage. They looked like they'd been gnawed off. Briefly, he wondered who it was. He crossed his figures for Fleur to actually show up for her sister and then pulled the knife out again to cut Sirius out. That was why he had brought it in the first place.

It wasn't necessarily unexpected that Sirius would be the thing he missed most. He pulled his godfather up and swam up.

When their heads hit the air Harry removed the Bubble-Head charm and Sirius woke up instantly and asked, "How'd you do?"

He wasn't surprised that it was the first thing he asked. "I was the second one there. Malfoy's and Delecour's are still down there."

They swam towards the bank and climbed out. Fleur was sitting in a blanket at the edge of the lake, looking at the water's with a very worried look on her face. Madam Maxine's hand gripping her shoulder seemed the only thing keeping her from jumping back in.

"Looks like only Malfoy is still down there," Sirius commented. "How long do you think he'll be down there?"

"How long have I been down there?"

Sirius shrugged. "How should I know?"

Harry shot him a look. "I wasn't talking to you."

When they climbed out Fleur immediately asked, "Gabrielle— 'ow was 'er?"

Harry smiled. "She'll be alright," he said. "They wouldn't leave any hostages down there. I could go back down to get her if you'd like…"

Before Fleur could respond, Malfoy surfaced and everybody's attention moved to him. He had Tracy, but he also had Gabrielle. Fleur jumped up. "Gabrielle!" she said, excitedly. "Gabrielle!"

Malfoy grabbed the girl who obviously couldn't swim and Tracy took hold of his other arm. Malfoy was still, probably saying something to the two girls and then he was pulled back under by their combined weight and apparent inability to swim. Harry jumped back in the lake and swam at them. "No, Mr. Potter," he heard somebody (he didn't take the time to figure who) yell.

Malfoy and Tracy surfaced again, but Gabrielle was nowhere to be seen. "I can't swim," he heard Tracy yell and Malfoy let her go and went back under (this time on purpose.) The girl's head stayed above the water for a moment before she fell back under. Tracy struggled and struggled to keep herself from sinking like the other girl did. She went under again.

Harry reached her and grabbed hold of her arm reaching for the surface and pulled her up. "How can you not swim?" he asked.

"I never cared to learn," she replied. "I hate the water."

Malfoy and Gabrielle reached the air again and the little girl started to cough. "You take Tracy, I'll take Gabrielle," Harry said, pushing Malfoy's hostage to him and taking Fleur's hostage. "Why'd you bring her?" he asked as they began to drag the girls across the lake.

"I figured that Delecour wasn't going to show up if she hadn't already," he said, giving Harry a wink. Obviously, the other time-traveller remembered that Fleur was attacked and figured she was this time too.

Tracy smiled. "I think it was sweet of him."

"Coming from the thing that he'd miss most," Harry teased. "If I didn't know better, Malfoy, I'd say your icicle heart is finally melting."

"Shut up, Potter," Malfoy shot back. "I'm not that heartless to leave a cute little girl down there when her rescuer was obviously not going to rescue her."

When they climbed out, Fleur immediately gave Malfoy a forceful hug. "You saved 'er. Even though she was not your 'ostage." She let go quickly though, and wrapped her arms around the little girl. "Gabrielle," she said and then began to speak to her in French. She then wrapped her own blanket around her sister.

Madam Pomfrey ushered him over to her and gave him a two blankets. "Go bring one to Miss Delecour," she said and brought then took two more and brought them to Malfoy and Tracy, who'd already edged away from the others. Harry just brought his blanket to Fleur. Then he sat down. He was exhausted. The only thing that kept him from drowning when he jumped in to help with Gabrielle was adrenaline.

""Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We award her twenty-five points."

"I deserved zero," said Fleur.

"Victor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was first to return with his hostage at five minutes past the time-limit. We award him forty-eight points."

"Harry Potter, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was third to return with his hostage, and he returned fifteen minutes minute outside the time limit of an hour. He also jumped back into the water when his fellow champion was struggling with two hostages who couldn't swim. We award Mr. Potter with forty-one points."

"Draco Malfoy used gillyweed, and arrived last at twenty-one minutes outside an hour. However, he did bring up a second hostage who he believed was not going to be saved, though he did require help pulling them out because neither of the two could swim. We award Draco Malfoy thirty-nine points."

"The third and final task will take place at dusk on the twenty-fourth of June," continued Bagman. "The champions will be notified of what is coming precisely one month beforehand. Thank you all for your support of the champions."

* * *

"I can't believe that your hostage was _Sirius_," Ron complained. "I knew you longer! Why would you miss him more than me?"

People were hounding the Champions for details about what happened in the Lake. The whole school was abuzz. He could remember hearing so many different versions of all stories because they were travelling through so many people. A number of people were under the impression that Harry fought off an army of Grindylows. One day he got tired of it so he stood up on the table at breakfast to inform everybody that no, he did _not_ fight off an army of Grindylows.

He'd heard Malfoy telling the Slytherins that he rescued Gabrielle for points. "I was last there, and I figured that if Delecour hadn't shown up already she wasn't going to… I knew Dumbledore would think it _heroic_ that I saved the other hostage…"

Life went on as usual. Harry shared with the rest of the Dream Team his newest project— to find a way into the girls' dormitories— and that was what he spent his spare time doing.

The first thing he tried was climbing up with a girl behind him and in front of him. "This isn't going to work," Hermione said.

Harry laughed. "Probably not," he agreed, "but wouldn't you feel so stupid if we tried it last and it worked?"

It didn't. The stairs turned into a slide regardless of the girls on it.

He tried to scale the slide, and learned it was slippery as ice.

"What if we scaled it with something that stuck?" Ron suggested, so they tried that. Nothing would stick properly to the slide at all.

At first the Gryffindors thought it was the most hilarious thing, but then they got used to them. By the twentieth time they went tumbling down, barely anybody noticed or cared.

"I don't think we'll be able to just climb the stairs in any way," Neville sighed.

Harry smiled. "Time to try scaling the walls!"

It was almost the end of March when Harry finally decided, "We can't get up."

"Finally," Neville replied.

"But," Harry continued, "I have one final idea…" Hermione groaned. "Polyjuice Potion."

"No," Hermione said. "No, no, no, no, no! That's where I'm drawing the line, Harry!"

Harry groaned. "Please Hermione? If this doesn't work, I promise I'll give up!"

"I'm not brewing Polyjuice for something so… petty!"

He sighed. He couldn't brew that by himself. He could ask Malfoy, but before he could take too much time considering that option, he realized that a certain somebody had a huge store of Polyjuice. "Would you lend me some hairs, then, because I know where to get some."

Hermione scowled. "You are not stealing anything from Professor Snape."

"I doubt he has a store of that, Hermione," Harry replied. "Just, if I come up with it, can I try?"

She scoffed. "Whatever. Yes, if you come up with some."

And that was how Harry found himself sneaking into Professor Moody's office late at night on the first of April. "You're so stupid, Harry," he muttered to himself, checking the Map for Junior's location. "He probably keeps it in his bedroom, where-ever that is. Or in the trunk. I might as well rescue Moody if I can open it to check."

He looked around and muttered, "He keeps the keys with him…Merlin, what do I have to do? Sneak them from him? Or just take the hip flask?"

He sighed. "I might as well brew it myself if I want to try that," he told himself. "Bad Harry," and then he did a double-take as he opened a desk drawer. "Keys?" he asked. "Are those…?"

He picked them out and stuffed them in the keyholes. "Wow, Junior, getting lazy, are we?"

And he opened the trunk. "Polyjuice," he muttered, checking though the different compartments. "Please, please have kept it in here…"

He opened the last lock and sighed in relief. Beside Moody was a full cauldron. Was that there last time? Harry didn't remember it… did Junior stop brewing it at the end of the year? And why didn't he have his keys on him? He was sure that last time Dumbledore took the keys off him. Was he getting paranoid about somebody finding them?

"I hate Polyjuice," he muttered to himself as the gunk poured into his flask unevenly. "Should I take Moody?" That was his biggest problem. Morally, because he was in there, he should grab Moody. Then again, Moody desperately needed medical attention and the only way to get that was to screw things around. Voldemort needed to return for Harry to kill that bit of his soul— as far as he knew— and busting Junior to save Moody early would definitely be problematic.

"I could bring him to the Room of Requirement," he suggested to himself out-loud. "But he'd have to stay there and I'd have to tell him…"

As he looked at the man he wondered, "I'd have to tell him anyways, wouldn't I… suspicious bastard…"

He checked the Map and then said, "It's not like I'd be able to transport him to the Room without getting caught…"

He sighed. "I am so sorry, old friend," he told the unconscious body. "I am so sorry."

He climbed out.

* * *

Hermione crossed her arms. "Where did you get that?" she asked, scowling. "You can't just steal things, Harry."

Harry shrugged. "I'm not telling you. Can I have a hair, then?"

The girl shook her head quickly. "I don't care what I said before. You must've stolen it— if you got it legally then tell me how." He bit his lip. "Exactly," she said. "Exactly."

It didn't stop Harry, though. There were other girls in the Gryffindor tower that he could steal hair from, after all. "Hey Lavender!" he called and walked away from his friend. "You have something in your hair, you know."

"What? Where?"

He smiled mischievously. "Here, I'll get it." He reached over and pulled a loose piece of hair off her head, pulling it into his fist and pretending to brush off the spot with his hand. "Alright, you're good."

"Thanks."

Hermione scowled. "Don't think I didn't see that," she told him as he brushed past her on his way up to his room to store the hair with his potions ingredients.

"I don't care," he replied.

The next day while Lavender was in the library he popped the hair in the Polyjuice and climbed up the stairs. When he reached the top he let out a cry of triumph. "See, stairs," he said, "I knew there was a way to get to the top!"

Hermione, who was walking out of her dormitory, laughed at him. "C'mon Harry, it's stupid to do something so big for something so small."

He shrugged. "It's the principle of the matter… do you think it'll fling me out when time is up?"

So he walked into Lavender, Hermione, and Parvarti's room and waited out his hour— alone, because Hermione didn't condone his behaviour.

The hour ended and the door flung open. He felt himself being pulled out by an invisible force pulled him out of the room and threw him onto the stairs, which were once again a slide. He tumbled down, through the open doors that slammed shut angrily as soon as he was out.

"_But past an hour— the prospect's black,_" he recited. "_Too late, it's gone, it won't come back._" He sighed. "There won't be time to waste."


	26. Warp 1, Year 4, Part 10

Wow… ten parts for one year, already? And to think, all the other years are exactly five parts long… I expected everything to keep getting longer because of more and more changes… but I didn't think I'd pass ten parts until Order of the Phoenix…

I have three final sidenotes: Thanks to all my reviewers so far, criticism is greatly appreciated, and I'll try to get back on my usual every-Saturday update schedual... it might take me two weeks or so to get back onto my Saturday times considering it's Thursday.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And-_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

Thanks so much to _swanpride_ for being my plot-beta.

* * *

**Book 4, Chapter 28: The Madness of Mr. Crouch; Chapter 29: The Dream; Chapter 30: The Pensieve **

**Warp 1, Year 4 (part 10), Chapter 25: How to Save a Life**

* * *

"Are you sure this is going to work, Potter?" Malfoy asked, staring at the goop in his glass.

"For sure," Harry told him, taking his own glass and sprinkling Luna's hair in it. "We'll be using the invisibility cloak because she's not knocked out in a closet or anything, she's in class… and Cho and all the other girls in her dorm _should_ be in class too… remember, we have an hour to get up there, get in, and find it… and get out (because if we don't, we'll be caught)."

Malfoy cringed. "It'll take more than that if we're guessing the password… did Loony Lovegood tell you?"

"It's a different riddle every time," Harry said. "I hope you're good with them, because not only are they riddles, they're ones about things I don't know."

Malfoy blinked. "So anybody can get in?"

"Not everybody," Harry laughed. "You ask Crabbe and Goyle where vanished objects go and I'm sure they'd have no idea."

Malfoy sighed. "So anybody with a brain can enter?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Harry replied. "Though I had no idea what the answer to either riddle I've heard was… you ready?"

The other boy nodded. "As ready as I can ever be. You sure Cho isn't wearing it to class today?"

"I checked. It should be in her room."

The two paused for about half a second before they chugged their drinks. For simplicity's sake, they had both used Luna's hairs. The two faces turned green and they ignored the urge to throw up as they threw the cloak over them and left as fast as they could possibly leave.

Harry was thankful he had remembered where the Eagle knocker was. The two found it right where he remembered it, up in a tower that Harry had only ever been inside once. "Well, what do we do?" Malfoy asked.

He rolled his eyes in response. "We knock." They did.

"_You eyes can look upon me and still see, but should I look upon your eyes, I will be the last thing you see. What am I?"_

The two blinked for a moment. It couldn't be that easy, could it? "A basilisk," Malfoy said.

"_Quite,"_ the doorknocker replied and the door swung open.

He smiled. "That was easy. I think we're in luck."

Harry frowned. "Famous last words, Malfoy. The rule states that if you say aloud that things are going well, things are going to stop going well."

"Since when?" the pureblood replied.

The Gryffindor really didn't want to explain the rules of muggle media at that moment, so he simply pointed to his watch. "Forty-five minutes."

"Let's go."

They ran up the stairs as fast as they possibly could. They tore into the room with the sign that said _Fifth Years_, and began to fumble through the trunks. Only Harry's muttering of the mermaid's song could be heard as they searched in almost complete silence. _"And while you're searching, ponder this;_ _we've taken what you'll sorely miss."_

Finally Malfoy said, "This one is Chang's," motioning to the trunk he was rummaging through.

Harry broke his tune and looked over. "Can you be sure?"

He nodded back. "It's full of letters addressed to her."

Harry pushed him aside and began to search through the entire trunk— all the pockets and between every piece of clothing, discarding items all over the ground around him. Malfoy, on the other hand, stepped aside and began to look around her bed and dresser. He emptied the makeup case on the floor, then her purse, then jewellery box (which really should have been the first place they checked.)

When neither had any luck Harry said, "This is your fault Malfoy. You just had to say it."

Malfoy blinked. "Say what?"

He groaned. "We should've ingested some Felix Felicis before the Polyjuice," he said. "An hour's worth would've been good."

"What did you do with the stuff in sixth year, anyways?"

"Getting something from Slughorn for Dumbledore… and then let some members of the DA split it among themselves the night Snape killed Dumbledore… well, I gave it to them and said to do so if something were to happen…" Harry trailed off, realizing it really wasn't the time for stories, and threw the last couple of things out of Cho's trunks.

Malfoy sighed, taking a final glance under her bed. "We should check everybody else's, just in case."

Harry nodded. "I've already torn apart a couple of trunks, so you do the bed areas while I do the rest of the trunks."

"Alright."

It wasn't in any of the two girls' trunks that had already been checked, and there wasn't anything in Cho's, so that left two more girls he didn't know and Marietta. He continued his search, and so did his companion.

They had torn apart the entire room after a while, and with ten minutes left of Polyjuice, they didn't know what to do. "I really do blame you," Harry said. "Just, you know, for the record."

"Well," Malfoy replied, "I blame you for thinking Cho had it without proof."

Harry stuck out Luna's tongue at him. "She was definitely acting out of character… she might have it in her pocket or something…"

The Slytherin groaned. "You can't be serious!"

"Of course I'm not Sirius," Harry replied with a mischievous smirk.

Malfoy groaned again. "I'm going to kill you someday, Potter, simply for that comment."

"Yeah, I heard voices up here… like… Loony Lovegood is up in our rooms talking to herself or something… she's so stupid, that girl, I wouldn't be surprised." a voice travelled through the hall. "I'm just going to check, alright?"

Harry and Malfoy froze. "That was Edgecomb," the latter hissed.

"I know," the former replied. "Hide!"

The two dived under two beds— the only clean places in the room— and panicked. If the two girls were in the room for longer than ten minutes, they would be busted. The only saving grace was that Harry had his invisibility cloak in his pocket, so he could cover himself and save the embarrassment and Malfoy couldn't.

Marietta gasped as she entered. Harry couldn't help but slip the cloak over him and pushing the sheets of fabric that hid his and Malfoy's positions aside to take a look. The first thing he noticed was the angry look on Marietta's face. The second thing he noticed was the familiar chain around her neck.

The girl first screamed and then ran over to her bed and began to check that all her pieces of jewellery were around the box. She let out a sigh of relief when they were and carefully undid Slytherin's locket from her neck, placing it with the rest.

Then she ran out, presumably to get the other girls. As soon as the door shut, Harry shot out from under the bed and ran over. He took the locket and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"What is it, Potter?" Malfoy asked.

Harry held it up. "Now let's get out of here. I'll wear the cloak and you pretend to be Luna. Just look at the ceiling and ignore everybody who looks to you… we have," he checked his watch, "two minutes, exactly."

Malfoy smirked in such a trademark Malfoy way that it didn't look natural on Luna's face. "Let's go kill this thing."

Harry frowned. "And don't make that face until you're back to yourself."

* * *

Time passed quickly after that. It was like a load of stress had been lifted from Harry's shoulders and he could only enjoy the peace. The remaining horcruxes crossed his mind a couple of times— things he hadn't even considered for months because of the missing locket.

Nagini was probably a valid Horcrux now, he realized. The Cup, the Locket, The Ring, The Diary, The Diadem, and Harry himself. He still listed the list in full, even though he'd already removed the Diary, Diadem, and Locket. Only four remained besides Voldemort's own soul— Nagini, The Cup, The Ring, and Harry.

Whenever he thought that particular thought he realized that it wasn't much progress. He wasn't any closer to the Cup, for one. He didn't even know if it was even in Gringotts. He was holding that one off as long as he possibly could. Nagini was unreachable, but he'd figure out something, and the Ring was on Harry's to-do list. Himself? Well, he was hoping to remove that as soon as the graveyard. If he played dead well enough, Voldemort wouldn't even notice that Harry wasn't dead… but he probably would burn the '_remains_' or something…

He wondered if Voldemort would send back the corpse to mock Dumbledore or something. That would be best for Harry, but it wasn't something that could be counted upon. His best bet was to not die in the graveyard and use his _Get out of Death Free_ card in the middle of a battle or something.

_Get out of Death Free Card_? Harry had to snort out loud when that thought passed his mind. It was one way of putting it, for sure, but would it work like that or would he have to give himself up willingly? Would he still be able to without having united the Hallows and become the Master of Death? That had been coincidence, not part of Dumbledore's plan, but he didn't know if he could depend on Dumbledore's guess when there could have been another deciding factor.

Would Dumbledore have told him if the real reason he could go back to life was that he united the Hallows?

No, Harry decided. That probably wasn't how it worked. He could always disarm Dumbledore's wand and take it at some point…

He shook that thought out of his head. He was not going to take Dumbledore's wand _just in case_. He'd just have to hope that the Hallows had nothing to do with his luck— for now, at least.

Before he knew it, Bagman was requesting the Four Champions down to the Quidditch Pitch. Harry barely remembered the maze in the state he first saw it. He couldn't believe that the towering hedges had been so small at any point, but there they were.

"I'm not looking forward to this," Harry muttered to Malfoy as Bagman explained.

Malfoy shrugged. "I don't really care… I just need to find a way out of winning. I really, really don't want to get pulled to Voldemort's resurrection ceremony.

The other boy smirked. "You said Voldemort's name again. You really don't want to get into that habit and get thrown into your own dungeons because you triggered a taboo. And why would you need a way out? Just don't win."

Malfoy cringed. "Don't you remember what I told you? Snape will expel me for this stunt unless I win…"

"Let yourself be sabotaged by Junior," Harry suggested. "Junior will be doing it to everybody but me, so when Snape learns of this he'll realize it's not your fault you lost." Although it was a statement, his uncertainty over it made it sound like a question.

The Slytherin snorted. "I can only hope. We could tie and hope I'm not killed because of my father." He punctuated his statement like a question also.

"You can only hope—"

"Mr. Potter," Bagman interrupted. "Is there something you'd like to share with the group?"

"Not really?"

"Well, then can you repeat what I was saying about the task. What is it? What's your goal?"

"Reach the Cup first, which is placed in the center. Enchantments and monsters will block our path." He hoped that Bagman hadn't got around to explaining the order of entrance, because he didn't know _that_ from before.

"Right," Bagman said. "Now, first entering the maze will be Mr. Krum, as he is in the lead. Next will go Mr. Potter, then Mr. Malfoy, and finally Miss Delecour. But you'll all be in with a fighting chance, depending how well you get past the obstacles. Should be fun, eh?"

Nobody replied. It wasn't any of their ideas of fun.

"Very well… if you haven't got any questions, we'll go back up to the castle, shall we, it's a bit chilly…"

Harry rolled his eyes. Typical Bagman. He and Malfoy took the back of the pack as the five exited the stadium.

"Hey Potter, wasn't today the day that you found Crouch?"

Harry raised his eyebrow at his fellow time-traveller. "It is, isn't it? Do you want to…?"

Malfoy shrugged. "I don't really care. I was just telling you in case you wanted to know."

"Alright," Harry said, putting together a plan in his head. "I guess we could give it a shot. Come with me."

And Malfoy did.

"… and when you've done that, Weatherby, send an owl to Dumbledore confirming the number of Durmstrang students who will be attending the tournament, Karkaroff has just sent word there will be twelve…" Mr. Crouch was saying when Harry and Malfoy spotted him.

"Mr. Crouch?" said Harry cautiously.

"… and then send another owl to Madame Maxime, because she might want to up the number of students she's bringing, now Karkaroff's made it a round dozen… do that, Weatherby, will you? Will you? Will…"

"Mr. Crouch?" Harry said loudly. "Are you all right?"

Crouch's eyes were rolling in his head. It was obviously a bit of Imperious malfunction now that he looked upon the scene with trained eyes, but he had to understand why the man scared him at fourteen.

"Dumbledore!" gasped Mr. Crouch. He reached out and seized a handful of Harrys robes, dragging him closer, though his eyes were staring over Harry's head. "I need… see… Dumbledore…"

"Alright," Harry said. "We'll take you to him."

"I've done… stupid… thing…" Mr. Crouch breathed. "Must… tell… Dumbledore…"

Harry looked at Malfoy. "Draw your wand. Don't turn your back on anything for too long. If you see any movement, aim to stun. If Junior gets down here he'll kill him."

Harry took off running to Dumbledore's office. He didn't know the password, but he knew what kind of thing it would be. When he reached there he started guessing. "Sherbet Lemon," he threw out. "Pumpkin Pasties. Treacle Tarts. Acid Pops. Chocolate Frogs. Umm—"

The Gargoyle started to move and Snape stood looking at him. "Potter!" he yelled.

Harry smiled nervously. "Professor Snape… ermm… is Professor Dumbledore up there?"

"He's busy, Potter," Snape snapped.

"Really," Harry said. "Mr. Crouch just walked out of the forest and stated babbling at Malfoy and me… he's asking for Dumbledore."

Snape raised a thin eyebrow and said, "The Headmaster is busy, Potter."

"The stone wall behind Snape slid open. Dumbledore was standing there, wearing a mildly curious expression. "Is there a problem?"

Harry nodded. "Mr. Crouch is in the forest babbling and asking for you."

"Lead the way," Professor Dumbledore said.

"Can you run, Professors?" Harry said impatiently. He'd already cut some time off the time he took last time, and he was surprised that Snape was there so early. Was his exit from the office provoked by Harry trying to enter?

Dumbledore picked up to a swift walk, not answering the question. Harry took the lead, moving at a jog. The three moved down the staircases and into the Entrance Hall, out the doors and then Harry took off at a run towards the two figures down at the forest. Harry let out a sigh of relief that they were both standing upright. Malfoy had his wand pointed directly at Crouch and he wondered why the other wasn't on guard for Junior.

"He lunged at me," Malfoy said when they reached him. "He tried to attack me. You're lucky I didn't stun him."

"Yes, my son has recently gained twelve O.W.L.S, most satisfactory, yes, thank you, yes, very proud indeed. Now, if you could bring me that memo from the Andorran Minister of Magic, I think I will have time to draft a response…"

"Barty," Dumbledore said. "Barty, what is it?"

"I… escaped… must warn… my fault… all my fault… Bertha… dead… all my fault… my son… my fault… … Harry Potter… the Dark Lord… stronger… Harry Potter…"

"Call Madame Pomfrey," Dumbledore said to Snape. The man nodded, took a quick glance at Harry— staring right into his eyes— and wordlessly cast a Patronus. A silver doe galloped at the castle and Harry couldn't help but smile. Snape didn't dare look at him again.


	27. Warp 1, Year 4, Part 11

Hello everybody. Also, thanks to all my reviewers! I'm quite enjoying writing this story.

Just a question: Am I the only one having trouble with underlining? Because my document manager refuses to save underlined words and my title not being underlined is beginning to annoy me. It opens the document the first time with underlines and then when I put in the page breaks and save it, they're all gone!

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And-_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

Thanks to _swanpride _for plot-beta-ing

* * *

**Book 4, Chapter 31: The Third Task; Chapter 32: Flesh, Blood, and Bone **

**Warp 1, Year 4 (part 11), Chapter 26: Return**

* * *

Neither Harry nor Malfoy heard another word about Bartemius Crouch Senior after Dumbledore informed them to keep quiet about what they witnessed. He was sent to the Spell-Damage Ward at St. Mungo's.

Life went on as usual, and with the Dream Team on Harry's back to prepare for the Third Task and Tracy Davis on Malfoy's, they didn't have much time to talk to one-another. They weren't even able to skip Care of Magical Creatures anymore because the Skrewts (their excuse for not going) were no longer the subject of the class. Even without the Rita publishing an article on Hagrid, halfway through the year he finally decided to give up on the Skrewts when their number was reduced to two.

With classes, piled up workloads, and preparing for the Third Task, neither was surprised at how fast time flew by.

Then June Twenty-Fourth arrived.

"Scared, Potter?" Malfoy said to him when they passed in the Entrance Hall on their way to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Harry smirked. "You wish," he said. He was kind of frightened, yes, but not to the point of allowing people to know.

He sat down at the breakfast table and couldn't help reminiscing the morning of the Third Task the first time. Things had certainly improved in his second life. The first time he received a Good Luck card (a folded piece of parchment with a paw-print) from Sirius and nothing from Remus, this time they'd probably both be watching as his family.

(That thought made him think— if Bill didn't come to watch and catch Fleur's eye, would she still work at Gringotts and take English lessons from him and get married?)

Not only the family was better, but the whole school. All the houses but Slytherin came to wish him luck, all having _Support Harry Potter_ badges pinned to their chest. Harry, who lost his _Potter Sucks_ badge long ago, made a mental note to find somebody to give him one to wear for the day.

"Potter, the champions are congregating in the chamber off the Hall after breakfast," McGonagall said to him when she came up to wish him luck.

Harry smiled. "Alright. I'll be right there." He took a final bite of his toast and ran to see his family. He remembered last time wondering who had come for him, and he remembered thinking that he had no family to come anyways…

His life really was much better this time.

He entered the room and didn't even take a glance at Fleur's parents— he'd met them multiple times— or Krum's parents— the loud couple in the Top Box _this time_, if he remembered correctly. He did look over to the Malfoy's to motion to his fellow time-traveller to give him a _Potter Sucks _badge. He immediately understood and tossed the one that was on his own chest at the Gryffindor.

"Padfoot! Moony!" he greeted the two men as he pinned the badge to his robes.

Sirius fell off his chair, laughing. Remus gave them both a disapproving look. Harry gave them both quick hugs and said, "I promise not to die, alright?"

"That's very comforting."

Harry laughed. "C'mon, Remus, what's the worst that can happen?" He would have cringed at his words if he didn't already know the outcome that would come.

"You know, those are what one would call _famous last words_," said Remus. "Now that you've said them…" Something inside told Harry that Remus would be telling him _I told you so_ when he told him about Voldemort's return.

Sirius laughed. "I assure you, Remus; Harry knows what the worst outcome can be… he's planning for it… right?"

Harry laughed. "Padfoot is right, Moony."

"I sincerely doubt that."

"Ladies and gentlemen, in five minutes' time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch field for the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium now," Dumbledore announced at the end of dinner that night.

"Good luck, Harry," Remus said. "Don't die."

"Yes, Pronglet," Sirius agreed. "Be careful out _there_." Harry had told him in advanced what would happen in the graveyard to whomever touched the cup first, and Sirius was clearly referring to there, not the maze.

The Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs started to clap when he stood up. Malfoy stood up a second after and the Slytherins began clapping when he did. They reached the exit and nodded to each other, Harry giving a smile when he noticed Malfoy had replaced the _Potter Sucks_ badge he gave Harry with a _Support Harry Potter _badge. "Taking a page out of your book," he said with a smile. "My parents didn't approve."

"I bet they wouldn't."

Krum and Fleur eyed the badges too. "Zey are clearly not taking this serious," the Beuxbatons champion said. The Drumstrang champion nodded back.

"Feeling all right. Harry?" Bagman asked as they went down the stone steps onto the grounds. "Confident?"

He nodded. "Very."

The maze looked just as foreboding as Harry remembered. The twenty-foot hedge made Malfoy groan. "I want my Quidditch Pitch back," he whispered.

"Me too," he replied.

And they waited. After five minutes the stadium began to fill and the air suddenly felt full of excitement. Harry and Malfoy gave each other anxious, encouraging smiles.

"We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze," said Professor McGonagall to the champions. "If you get into difficulty, and wish to be rescued, send red sparks into the air, and one of us will come and get you, do you understand?" Hagrid, Junior, McGonagall, and Flitwick were going to be patrolling.

The champions nodded.

"Off you go, then!" said Bagman to the four patrollers.

"Good luck. Harry," Hagrid whispered.

Bagman pointed his wand at his throat, muttered, "Sonorus," and his magically magnified voice echoed into the stands.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! In first place is Mr. Viktor Krum of Drumstrang Institute with eighty-four points. In second place is Mr. Harry Potter of Hogwarts School with eighty-one points. In third we have Mr. Draco Malfoy, also of Hogwarts School, with seventy-eight points. Finally, in last place with have Miss Fleur Delecour of Beauxbaton Academy!"

"On my whistle, Viktor," Bagman said. "Three— two— one—" and he blew his whistle.

Harry stood completely still as Krum entered at top speed. "We should stick together," Malfoy whispered to him.

Harry gave a chuckle. "You just want it easy."

"Of course," Malfoy replied. "All the other Champions were sabotaged so you could win."

"Weren't you going to use that as an excuse for not winning?" he lowered his voice a little more so he was practically breathing the words. "You really don't want to be stuck as the _spare_ when we touch the Cup together…"

"He wouldn't kill a Malfoy—"

Harry hit him. "He didn't even know who he killed last time, Malfoy. He won't look."

Malfoy said, "Why don't you let me win then? He'll have to use me then, and…"

"No!" Harry said a bit too loud. Bagman looked over. "No," Harry repeated, lowering his voice. "I won't be able to die as long he's alive that way!"

Malfoy sighed. "I'll just hope Snape will accept an excuse of being sabotaged."

"Make sure you're sabotaged, then!"

"And if I'm not?" Malfoy hissed.

Harry blinked. "Pray."

Before he could ask for clarification, Bagman said, "Harry? On my whistle." Harry nodded. "Three— two— one—" and the whistle was the last Harry heard as he rushed in the hole.

He couldn't remember what fork he took last time and he didn't really care. He was going to win simply because all the other champions were going to be sabotaged.

Right— left— center fork— left— he was really choosing at random. "This is stupid," he muttered. "It's a game of chance. Who can guess right!" He groaned. "I wish I knew where North was… then I'd have a heading— oh!" he hit himself on the head. "I'm so stupid. _Point me!_" He retraced his steps to the start and said, "Northeast, I have to head northeast."

He took the next right fork to send him northwards. "I should have seen at least one thing," he said. "There has to be something… boggart, Skrewt, Acromantula? C'mon, this is boring!"

He kept walking for a while. "Nothing?" he muttered. "Why am I talking?" He was lonely, he decided. The maze was creepy and absolutely silent. Well, silent except for that screaming… "Fleur?" he turned towards the direction he heard the scream. "Dammit, Junior," he muttered. "It's not fair."

He turned left and found himself facing a familiar mist. He stepped in and out quickly and ran onwards. "I was here last time," he muttered. "I've made it onto the same path… where did I go after?" He didn't know, but he did distinctly remember finding a Skrewt… but that wouldn't be for a while.

He kept along with the random guesswork, finding two dead ends or so. He jogged along, waiting for some sign of trouble or the path to victory. "I hope the sphinx uses the same riddle," he muttered. "I hate riddles."

"I hope Malfoy's all right," he said to himself, remembering what Krum did to Cedric. Remembering Snape's promise of expulsion in the event he lost, he decided maybe it would be better if Malfoy _wasn't_ all right.

He ran right into Malfoy at the next fork. This one was three way. "Dead end," he said, motioning to the one he just exited. "And I came from the one over there, so there's obviously no cup that way," he motioned to the left.

"No way to go but right, then," Harry said. "How'd you last so long?"

"Moving fast, I guess," Malfoy replied. "Should I slow down?" The two began to move along the path.

Harry sighed. "Dammit… Imperioused Krum has already taken out Fleur, judging by the scream," he said. "So Moody's looking for you. Get yourself caught up on something… or…"

Malfoy sighed. "So technically, we're the only two left in the running?"

"Pretty much."

He sighed. "What if Krum doesn't get to me?" he asked. "What if I beat you?"

Harry bit his lip and picked up his pace. "A sphinx is guarding the quickest path to the Cup," he told him. "If you run into it, claim to not know the riddle and turn around. Stall."

"But what if I don't find the quickest path?"

The two stopped at the next fork and Malfoy waited for an answer.

"Wait for me," Harry said, "and we'll take the chance…"

Malfoy nodded and before he began down the path, he gave Harry a thumb up. "See you, Potter." He flashed the _Support Harry Potter_ badge.

And Harry was alone once more. He began down the path and saw a Skrewt. "I'm on my way," he whispered, aiming a blasting curse at its softer underbelly.

He heard somebody yelling in pain not too far away. "And then there was one," Harry whispered. Krum had found Malfoy. The yelling went on for a moment and Harry decided it was obvious that it was the Cruciatus. When it stopped he looked up to the sky in the direction the yelling came from.

Sparks.

Malfoy would be fine.

Harry kept moving.

Right— Left— Center— Dead End— Back— Right— Right— Sphinx… wait, what?

"You are very near your goal. The quickest way is past me," she said to him.

Harry gave her a nervous smile. "I warn you, I'm horrible at riddles."

She smiled and said, "Answer on your first guess - I let you pass. Answer wrongly - I attack. Remain silent – I will let you walk away from me unscathed"

He really hoped the answer was _spider._ "Shoot."

"_First think of the person who lives in disguise,_

_Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies._

_Next, tell me what's always the last thing to mend,_

_The middle of middle and end of the end?_

_And finally give me the sound often heard_

_During the search for a hard-to-find word._

_Now string them together, and answer me this,_

_Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?"_

He smiled. He was in luck… and he hoped that it didn't wear out in the next couple of hours. He mentally slapped himself for even considering the idea. "Spider."

He rushed past. Spider… spider… wasn't there an Acromantula at the end of the rainbow? He pulled out his wand and broke into a run. He saw the cup before he saw the spider.

"That spider should be here somewhere…" and something told him he had been moving much too fast… he would have beaten Cedric to the Cup if he solved it so quickly… which meant…

He turned back and cast a blasting curse just as the spider lunged at him from behind, on his left side. It was thrown backwards and Harry didn't hesitate to throw three or four more at it, backing away at the same time. Not wanting to chance it, he backed up all the way to the Cup, pointing his wand at Hagrid's pet's child the entire time.

He took a deep breath. He reached for the Cup and hesitated. He took another breath. He was about to face Voldemort. He was about to be tied to a stone and Voldemort was going to steal his blood to resurrect himself. He was going to duel with a monster. He took another deep breath. He couldn't believe he was so calm about it that morning. What if something different happened? Then again, as soon as Voldemort used that blood he wouldn't be able to die as long as Voldemort was alive… right?

He eyed the twitching spider one last time before closing his eyes. "Can't leave Voldemort waiting, can I?" he whispered and grabbed the handle, holding onto the portkey for dear life.

When he felt his feet land firmly on the ground he opened his eyes. "Little Hangleton," he breathed. "This is it. I'll survive." He contemplated just grabbing the Cup again and foiling Voldemort's plan. He bit his lip. He's done it before— he could do it again.

His scar throbbed.

He saw a squat figure walk out, carrying the skeleton-_thing_ that was Voldemort. He wondered who it was. After all, Pettigrew was short, but safely incarcerated in Azkaban prison.

And his scar began to pain him more than it had since… well, probably even before his seventh year. Fifth, when Voldemort possessed him, he guessed was the last time he felt pain more than this… besides when Voldemort will touch him in ten or twenty minutes.

He was immediately grabbed and pulled over and pushed against a gravestone. Tommie-boy's father's gravestone, if things were going the same. The hands of the cloaked man, he noticed, were not Pettigrew's. Actually, they were women's hands. It wasn't a man at all.

How did Voldemort's plan even get started without Pettigrew?

The woman finished tying the ropes that bound him to the stone and stepped away.

Harry closed his eyes. He knew what was happening— he didn't have to watch it again. He didn't _want _to watch it again.

"Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!" a man's voice said.

It was Amycus Carrow… so the woman was probably Alecto.

"Flesh of the servant, willingly given, you will revive your master."

He cringed at the sound of something falling into the potion with a tiny _sploosh_. Harry shuddered. It was Amycus's hand, probably.

"B-blood of the enemy… forcibly taken, you will resurrect your foe."

He felt a knife run down his arm from the inside of his elbow and down, straying from a straight line and made more of a diagonal— it knife pulled up as it reached the palm of his hand. Harry let out a pained breath. He opened his eyes to look at the cut. That was going to scar, for sure.

It was overkill, he decided. Amycus didn't need to drag the dagger all the way down his arm. He was a classic Death Eater— and even in the desperate situation the name he had jokingly used back in first year popped into his mind. Dea'f Ea-er. He didn't know why it did. This was not the time for sarcastically making fun of their name.

He noticed out of the corner of his eye that the potion turned a blinding white and Amycus and Alecto stood before it, Amycus clutching his stump where his hand was before. Harry pressed his eyes closed again. The scene was something that nightmares were made of.

"Robe me," said Voldemort.

It was silent for a moment, save for some shuffling and the Death Eaters must have robed their master. Harry opened his eyes when the movement stopped again to see the two standing up straight, absolutely silent behind Voldemort.

Voldemort turned his scarlet eyes upon Harry, laughing a high, cold, mirthless laugh. Then he turned back to Amycus and said, "Hold out your arm."

Amycus held out his left arm right away, not even assuming that Voldemort would replace the stump at that moment.

Harry wanted to look away, but his eyes were glued to the scene before him.

The dark red mark turned jet black when Voldemort's pale finger touched it. Harry's scar seared and he bit his lip.

"How many will be brave enough to return when they feel it?" Voldemort whispered with his gleaming red eyes fixed upon the stars. "And how many will be foolish enough to stay away?"

"You stand, Harry Potter, upon the remains of my late father," he hissed softly. "Have you ever been to see the grave of your dirty muggle mother?"

"My mother was a witch," Harry interrupted calmly. "She had magic. Your father, on the other hand, didn't, you know."

Voldemort's lip curled. "You don't know anything about my father, Potter." He laughed. "You see that house upon the hillside, Potter? My father lived there. My mother fell in love with him, but he left her after they were married…"

Harry interrupted the speech again. "Yeah, he left her because she had him under love potion the entire time."

Voldemort turned to him. "I seem to be growing quite sentimental, reliving my family history. "He left her and returned to his parents before I was even born Potter, and she died giving birth to me, leaving me to be raised in a Muggle orphanage… but I vowed to find him… I revenged myself upon him, that fool who gave me his name… Tom Riddle…"

Harry remembered taunting the diary horcrux and decided that taunting this version of Voldemort wouldn't be wise at the moment, so he kept his mouth shut instead.

"You're not going to live for long now," Voldemort said. "But look Harry! My true family returns…"


	28. Warp 1, Year 4, Part 12

Originally, this was still supposed to be part of Chapter 26, but then I hit 6500 words in one chapter and I split it into two instead. Easier to name this way, too. And I apologize in advanced for Voldemort's raving. Most of it is exactly canon, but I didn't want to put a page break in the middle of this speech, add in two paragraphs from it, and then cut off again… so if it's redundant, I apologize.

Also, I am _very_ aware that FFN is acting up with updates. Half the story updates I try to read do the same thing.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And-_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

Thanks to _swanpride _for plot-beta-ing

* * *

**Book 4, Chapter 33: The Death Eaters; Chapter 34: Priori Incantatem**

**Warp 1, Year 4 (part 12), Chapter 27: Courage**

* * *

The Death Eaters had arrived. Harry took a breath. Surrounded by enemies, he couldn't help but remember the last time he was. The Battle of Hogwarts. Fred, Tonks, Lupin, Colin Creevy… his walk to the death. His breath shook.

The hooded, masked figures formed their circle, with gaps for the incarcerated, dead, and running Death Eaters who weren't present. It was all so sudden Harry couldn't help but wonder how funny it would be if one fool couldn't find his mask and appeared a minute or two later than the rest.

"Welcome, Death Eaters," said Voldemort quietly. "Thirteen years… thirteen years since last we met. Yet you answer my call as though it were yesterday, we are still united under the Dark Mark, then! Or are we?"

"I smell guilt," he said. "There is a stench or guilt upon the air."

Harry, if he wasn't in such a dire position, would've piped up and said _Yeah, that's probably me that you smell,_ but no matter how confident he was about surviving, he wasn't stupid.

"I see you all, whole and healthy, with your powers intact - such prompt appearances! And I ask myself… why did this band of wizards never come to the aid of their master, to whom they swore eternal loyalty?"

"Drama Queen," Harry muttered. Seriously, eternal loyalty? How... overstated. Voldemort glanced to him quickly, and Harry knew that he heard him.

"And I answer myself," whispered Voldemort, "they must have believed me broken, they thought I was gone. They slipped back among my enemies, and they pleaded innocence, and ignorance, and bewitchment… And then I ask myself, but how could they have believed I would not rise again? They, who knew the steps I took, long ago, to guard myself against mortal death?

Harry was confused. Did he advertise the fact that he had six (well, five at the time) horcruxes around? Lucius obviously didn't know what the Diary was… did he? He wouldn't have just given a piece of his master's soul to Ginny knowingly… would he?

"They, who had seen proofs of the immensity of my power in the times when I was mightier than any wizard living? And I answer myself, perhaps they believed a still greater power could exist, one that could vanquish even Lord Voldemort… perhaps they now pay allegiance to another… perhaps that champion of commoners, of Mudbloods and Muggles, Albus Dumbledore? It is a disappointment to me… I confess myself disappointed…"

"Master!" a man broke from the circle and fell at Voldemort's feet, shrieking. "Master, forgive me! Forgive us all!"

Voldemort laughed. "Crucio."

Harry closed his eyes and his whole face cringed.

"Get up, Avery," said Voldemort softly. "Stand up. You ask for forgiveness? I do not forgive. I do not forget. Thirteen long years… I want thirteen years' repayment before I forgive you. Atticus and Amycus have managed to pay some of their debt already, have you not, Amycus?"

Amycus did not move from his place in the circle.

"Yes, but you did not come to me. I came to you. You deserve your pain."

Harry blinked. So Voldemort, when not found by Pettigrew, found his way to the Carrows?

"Yes, master," he said. "Yes I do." His hand noticeably tightened on the wound.

"Yet you helped return me to my body," said Voldemort coolly, watching "Lord Voldemort rewards his helpers…" And Amycus Carrow was given a silver hand. Harry cringed in remembrance of Pettigrew chocking himself with his own hand because he betrayed Voldemort to fulfil his life debt to Harry.

"Thank you, Mi'lord."

"May your loyalty never waver again."

Harry swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Never, my lord."

And Voldemort began his walk, pointing out incarcerated, faithful followers and scolding the ones who should have come to find him. Mafoy, Mcnair, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott… he pointed out the missing spots of Kakaroff (too cowardly to return… he will pay), Snape ( left forever… he will be killed, of course…) and Barty Crouch Junior (It was through his efforts that our young friend arrived here tonight…)

Harry knew that many of the Death Eaters knew who should stand there, and they obviously knew he was _supposed_ to be dead.

"Yes," said Voldemort. "Harry Potter has kindly joined us for my rebirthing party. One might go so far as to call him my guest of honour."

Harry didn't like to be the focus of Voldemort.

"Master, we… we beg you to tell us… how you have achieved this… this miracle… how you managed to return to us…" asked Malfoy. Harry could hear the uncertainty in his voice. He didn't want to be there.

"You know, of course, that they have called this boy my downfall?" Voldemort said softly. The burning in Harry's scar intensified and he wished with all his heart that Voldemort could speed things up— more than anything else he wanted this terrible night to be over. How could he have been so calm that morning—so happy, relaxed, and casual— when he knew what was coming?

Why hadn't he grabbed the portkey and left the second he arrived?

Oh yes, because his survival through the removal of the horcrux depended on this night.

"You all know that on the night I lost my powers and my body, I tried to kill him. His mother died in the attempt to save him – and unwittingly provided him with a protection I admit I had not foreseen… I could not touch the boy."

_And you gave me a piece of your soul_, Harry thought. _We're even_.

"His mother left upon him the traces other sacrifice… This is old magic, I should have remembered it; I was foolish to overlook it… but no matter. I can touch him now."

His scar burned like his forehead was on fire. He let out a gasp of pain as Voldemort touched it with his cold, pale finger.

"I miscalculated, my friends, I admit it. My curse was deflected by the woman's foolish sacrifice, and it rebounded upon myself. Aaah… pain beyond pain, my friends; nothing could have prepared me for it. I was ripped from my body, I was less than spirit, less than the meanest ghost… but still, I was alive. What I was, even I do not know… I, who have gone further than anybody along the path that leads to immortality."

Seven. Seven. _Seven_. The number repeated in Harry's head. The Cup, the Locket, the Diary, the Diadem, the Ring, Nagini, Harry, and the piece in his body.

"You know my goal - to conquer death. And now, I was tested, and it appeared that one or more of my experiments had worked… for I had not been killed, though the curse should have done it. Nevertheless, I was as powerless as the weakest creature alive and without the means to help myself… for I had no body, and every spell that might have helped me required the use of a wand…"

"I remember only forcing myself, sleeplessly, endlessly, second by second, to exist… I settled in a faraway place, in a forest, and I waited… Surely, one of my faithful Death Eaters would try and find me… one of them would come and perform the magic I could not, to restore me to a body… but I waited in vain…"

Harry cringed. Why did Voldemort have to give a big super villain speech? Not only was it giving him a chance to plan, it was teaching him what he shouldn't know as Voldemort's foe.

"Only one power remained to me. I could possess the bodies of others. But I dared not go where other humans were plentiful, for I knew that the Aurors were still abroad and searching for me. I sometimes inhabited animals - snakes, of course, being my preference - but I was little better off inside them than as pure spirit, for their bodies were ill adapted to perform magic… and my possession of them shortened their lives; none of them lasted long… "

"The poor, poor snakes," Harry mumbled. "Having to be used by such a bastard." Luckily for Harry, Voldemort was so caught up in taking that he didn't notice the quiet comment.

"Then… four years ago… the means for my return seemed assured. A wizard - young, foolish, and gullible - wandered across my path in the forest I had made my home. Oh, he seemed the very chance I had been dreaming of… for he was a teacher at Dumbledore's school… he was easy to bend to my will… he brought me back to this country, and after a while, I took possession of his body, to supervise him closely as he carried out my orders. But my plan failed. I did not manage to steal the Philosopher's Stone. I was not to be assured immortal life. I was thwarted… thwarted, once again, by Harry Potter…"

Harry yawned. "Stop it," he said. "You're ranting. It's boring me."

Voldemort laughed. "Now, now, Potter. I'll get around to killing you. I assure you, it's my first priority."

"The servant died when I left his body, and I was left as weak as ever I had been," Voldemort continued. "I returned to my hiding place far away, and I will not pretend to you that I didn't then fear that I might never regain my powers… Yes, that was perhaps my darkest hour… I could not hope that I would be sent another wizard to possess… and I had given up hope, now, that any of my Death Eaters cared what had become of me…"

"I was desperate, I admit. I was lucky enough to find a muggle— and it wasn't very different from possessing animals— and then using that muggle, I found a witch. Bertha Jorkins. Of course, I much preferred the idea of using her and found a memory block. I overcame it, and used the memories it hid."

"I found my most faithful servant with her, and then discarded her. My most faithful servant then made me a… body, of sorts.A body I would be able to inhabit while awaiting the essential ingredients for true rebirth… a spell or two of my own invention… a little help from my dear Nagini. Weak, and I needed constant nursing— and that's where Amycus and Alecto fit in. I needed somebody dedicated to the cause— Amycus and Alecto had proved themselves faithful many times."

"I was willing to embrace mortal life again, before chasing immortality. I set my sights lower… I would settle for my old body back again, and my old strength. I knew that to achieve this - it is an old piece of Dark Magic, the potion that revived me tonight - I would need three powerful ingredients. Well, one of them was already at hand, was it not? Both Amycus and Alecto were perfectly willing."

"Flesh given by a servant… My father's bone, naturally, meant that we would have to come here, where he was buried. But the blood of a foe… I knew the one I must use, if I was to rise again, more powerful than I had been when I had fallen. I wanted Harry Potter's blood. I wanted the blood of the one who had stripped me of power thirteen years ago… for the lingering protection his mother once gave him would then reside in my veins too…"

_And that protection would be his downfall_, Harry thought spitefully.

"But how to get at Harry Potter? For he has been better protected than I think even he knows, protected in ways devised by Dumbledore long ago, when it fell to him to arrange the boy's future. Dumbledore invoked an ancient magic, to ensure the boy's protection as long as he is in his relations' care. Not even I can touch him there…"

"So how could I take him? Why… by using Bertha Jorkins's information, of course. Use my one faithful Death Eater, stationed at Hogwarts, to ensure that the boy's name was entered into the Goblet of Fire. Use my Death Eater to ensure that the boy won the tournament— that he touched the Triwizard Cup first— the cup which my Death Eater had turned into a Portkey, which would bring him here, beyond the reach of Dumbledore's help and protection, and into my waiting arms. And here he is… the boy you all believed had been my downfall…"

"Are you done now?" Harry asked.

"_Crucio_," was Voldemort's reply. The cruciatus was exactly as he remembered— pain beyond anything imaginable. He let out a scream. _Let it end_, he prayed. _Let him finish._ He hated the cruciatus. Neville… Hermione… and more recently he heard Draco Malfoy's and (possibly) Fleur's in the Third Task… the screams were… terrible… and the pain was worse.

Then it was gone. He came back to reality and could hear the laughter of the Death Eaters.

"You see, I think, how foolish it was to suppose that this boy could ever have been stronger than me," said Voldemort. "But I want there to be no mistake in anybody's mind. Harry Potter escaped me by a lucky chance. And I am now going to prove my power by killing him, here and now, in front of you all, when there is no Dumbledore to help him, and no mother to die for him. I will give him his chance. He will be allowed to fight, and you will be left in no doubt which of us is the stronger. Just a little longer, Nagini," he whispered to the snake.

"Now, untie him, and give him back his wand."

Harry smiled. Finally he was going to get off the giant creepy tombstone! Finally he was going to get out! Voldemort's pride was definitely his downfall.

He was roughly untied and he stood up immediately. His legs were weak and his thoughts were jumbled with primal fear.

"You have been taught how to duel, Harry Potter?" said Voldemort.

Harry grinned. "Of course." Though, he remembered this not turning out as much of a duel. He was an auror in another life, though, so he was going to take advantage of being underestimated. "Though I can assure you, according to proper duelling etiquette, we bow to _each other_. I won't bow unless you bow _first_."

Voldemort laughed. "Harry, now isn't the time to be stubborn. Bow."

Harry smirked. "Of course not. I mean, it's kind of pointless. This isn't a formal duel or anything… and if you aren't, there's no point in me—"

"C'mon Harry," Voldemort taunted. "Bow to death. It's only polite."

Harry's lip curled. "No. Not until you do it first."

"I said," Voldemort said, "bow."

Harry felt the curse he almost didn't remember from last time. It pushed his spine forward and he scowled. "Does that give you satisfaction," he said. "Do you feel big and bad because you forced a fourteen year old boy to bow to you?"

He felt his courage returning.

"And now you face me, like a man… straight-backed and proud, the way your father died…"

Harry mentally calculated the location of the Cup. He didn't dare look at it, but he knew it was out of reach. The only thing he could do was the same thing he'd done before. He really should have planned better. Backup would have been a wonderful help. Even if it was just Padfoot.

"And now - we duel."

Harry knew what was coming next— a cruciatus— and he jumped aside. A second and he jumped the other way. Back and forth, until finally he was a second too slow and he was hit, once more, with the curse.

Burning bones. Red-hot knives piercing his flesh. He couldn't describe it. But it was the same as it always was and always will be. He'd been under the curse a dozen times before and he would probably be under it a dozen times more. It wasn't necessarily new.

"That hurt, didn't it Harry? You don't want me to do that again, do you?"

Harry didn't say anything. He let out a couple of panicked breaths and Voldemort said, "I asked you whether you want me to do that again."

"Answer me! Imperio"

He wished he could allow himself to be overcome by the floating sensation. The peace… someday he would have somebody he _totally trusted_ cast that on him as an escape. He wondered if it would be like getting high on muggle drugs. _Just say no_.

"Actually," Harry said, "I'd prefer if you didn't play with your food before you ate it, Tommie. It's unbecoming and considered rude in most societies."

The graveyard was completely silent. Then, out of nowhere, Voldemort yelled, "Crucio!"

Harry jumped aside and then ducked behind Tom Riddle's gravestone.

"Harry, obedience is a virtue I need to teach you before you die…We are not playing hide-and-seek, Harry."

He wasn't scared anymore. "But Tommie, orphans such as ourselves never really had a childhood, so we should live it now, _together_, shouldn't we?" Then he laughed.

While he tone was calm, Harry could _feel_ just how angry Voldemort was. "Does this mean you are tired of our duel? Does this mean that you would prefer me to finish it now, Harry? Come out, Harry… come out and play, then… it will be quick… it might even be painless… I would not know… I have never died…

Voldemort began to approach and Harry grabbed his wand and stood up. "Why would I want to die?" he said. "I have something to live for."

And simultaneously, for the third time in_ his_ life, Harry's spell connected with Voldemort's. Avada Kedavera, and Expelliarmus, once again. It was, after all, his signature move.

The beam of light was neither red, nor green, but a deep, familiar, Gryffindor gold. The wands vibrated and Harry said, "I think now would be the time to tell you… my wand has one brother, and it happens to be right there, in your hands."

"Do nothing!" Voldemort shrieked to the Death Eaters, drawing their wands."Do nothing unless I command you!"

Fawkes' song echoed through the night. It rang in Harry's ears and gave him strength.


	29. Warp 1, Year 4, Part 13

Did everybody watch _A Very Potter Sequel_? I sure did, and while it wasn't quite as good as the first… it was enjoyable. I recommend that anybody who hasn't watched it (or the prequel,_ A Very Potter Musical_) yet, to do so.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And-_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

Thanks to _swanpride _for plot-beta-ing

* * *

**Book 4, Chapter 35: Veritaserum; Chapter 36: The Parting of the Ways; Chapter 37: The Beginning. **

**Warp 1, Year 4 (part 13), Chapter 28: Back Home**

* * *

Apparently, the Cup was supposed to portkey the winner to the front of the maze, so nobody thought anything odd about Harry's appearance, and Harry wasn't going to say anything until he was in private with Dumbledore and the Order. Snape was clutching his left arm conspicuously and staring at him intently and Junior's stares were much, much more severe.

Harry wished he could break away from everybody and get out. He got his wish when Madam Pomfrey pulled him aside and into her tent.

Malfoy jumped up from his hospital bed when Harry entered. "Did you—?" he asked. Harry nodded. He took note that by Malfoy's side was Narcissa and Snape, but Lucius was missing. Madam Pomfrey sat Harry down on a bed and was about to start examining him when Dumbledore, McGonagall, Junior, Sirius, Remus, and the Dream Team entered.

He didn't know what to say to them. Sirius reached his side first and pulled him into a hug. "It's alright, Prongslet," he whispered in his ear.

"What am I to tell them?" Harry whispered back.

"The truth," was Sirius's answer.

"Congratulations, Harry," Dumbledore said cheerfully. "That did take longer than I'd expected, though. You were in the maze for a couple hours—"

"— Voldemort's back," Harry cut him off.

Dumbledore looked taken aback; Snape looked over, unsurprised; Remus's jaw dropped and Sirius hugged him tighter; the entire Dream Team looked shocked. Junior's eyes shone with triumph. "Start at the beginning," Snape ordered, striding over.

"Well… I guess the beginning would be that some servant of Voldemort's is in the school… in disguise."

Dumbledore frowned.

"Did he say who…?" Remus asked.

Harry bit his lip. "Not really… but Voldemort mentioned him when he passed where he should've been standing… in a big empty space… near… I think he said three dead in his service, one too cowardly to return… and one who's left him forever." He was hopefully that Snape at least knew who should be standing near him. "Professor Snape, do you have any idea who he was talking about?"

Snape frowned, giving Harry a look. "Potter, are you absolutely sure he didn't add in another dead?"

He nodded. "I'm sure."

A look of comprehension fell upon Snape's face. He whispered something to Dumbledore and it looked like Dumbledore suddenly understood also. Snape was almost Dumbledore's right-hand-man— he surely knew about anything Crouch ranted at Dumbledore when he went to visit, and if Snape told him that he should have listed Junior among the dead…

"You know…" Harry mused out loud, "I have a _Map_ that tells wherever everybody is at Hogwarts and it can't be fooled by Polyjuice or anything…" Junior's hand twitched and he seemed ready to draw his wand any moment.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Really? A map? Could you show us, Harry?"

"I don't have it on me," Harry said.

Sirius smiled. "I do."

Remus gave him a surprised look. "Why do you have the map?"

He shrugged. "I noticed it in Harry's trunk when we went up to the dormitories and I snatched it… I haven't seen this thing in years!" Sirius lied well, Harry had to admit. He planned right away to use it to prove Junior… well, Junior.

The Marauder pulled it out and muttered, "_I solemnly swear I am up to no good_."

_Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs_

_Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers_

_Are proud to present_

_THE MARAUDERS' MAP_

McGonagall gave Padfoot and Moony a dry look. "I should have known," she muttered. Junior took a step back and only Harry must have noticed.

"See," Harry took the map, "there we are. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Severus Snape… Bartemius Crouch… and where's Professor Moody on this?"

Junior drew his wand and jumped at Harry, pointing it at his throat. "I can do it," he said. "My master will reward me above all others."

The information sunk in and everybody stopped moving. Before anybody else could formulate a plan, Harry grabbed Junior's wrist and yanked it away. They struggled, Junior trying to point the wand at Harry and Harry trying to stop it from happening. It only lasted a couple seconds, but it felt like longer. As soon as the wand was pointed away from Harry, Dumbledore drew his and stunned Junior silently. "I think we should move this little gathering to another part of the castle," he said, his eyes drifting discreetly towards the two Malfoys.

"My office is closest," Snape offered.

Remus moved over and pulled Harry into a hug. "Are you alright?"

"Yes. I'm fine." Harry nodded. "We might want some Veritaserum too."

The teachers stood up, levitated the stunned Barty Crouch Jr, and Dumbledore gestured for Harry to follow. ("Dumbledore, he ought to— look at him— he's been through enough tonight—" McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey protested).Remus and Sirius put a hand on each of Harry's shoulders for support as they followed along with him. The Dream Team made a motion to go too, but McGonagall stopped them with just a look.

"But Professors," Harry said as he walked, "my arm…" None of them were listening.

They reached the office and Snape immediately retreated to his back room— the potion stores— and Dumbledore ordered McGonagall to fetch Winky the House Elf. Harry looked to Dumbledore and said, "Where's Moody, then?"

The headmaster shook his head. "We shall see," he replied with an aggravated sigh. "We shall see."

Harry took a seat behind Snape's desk simply because he could and the four waited in silence for the other two to return.

When Snape entered the room he gave Harry a sharp glare, as if expecting Harry to get out of the chair. Teasingly, he gave a smirk to the professor and put his feet on the desk. "Potter," he growled.

Harry put his feet down and stood up. "Just kidding, Professor," he said.

As soon as he stood up, Sirius jumped into the chair. "You might be willing to give in to him, Harry, but I'm not," he announced. He similarly put his feet on the desk and Snape pulled out his wand and waved it, causing Sirius to fall off the chair.

Remus snorted. "You deserved that."

There was a silence and all five sets of eyes drifted to the unconscious body on the floor. Junior had begun to change back into himself. In a matter of second, the weary, scarred man changed before their eyes into a younger, pale-skinned man with a mop of fair hair. Professor Moody became Barty Crouch Junior.

"Polyjuice," Snape said slowly.

Dumbledore nodded. "Brilliant. Moody never does drink except from his hip flask, he's well known for impostor needed, of course, to keep the real Moody close by, so that he could continue making the potion." The headmaster looked to Sirius. "Can I see that map again?"

Sirius handed it over and Dumbledore scanned it quickly. "In his office," he said. He reached down to Barty, pulled a set of keys out of his robes, and walked quickly out the door and leaving the others behind. He probably knew exactly where the impostor was hiding his friend— he must have known about Moody's multi-compartment trunk.

McGonagall and Winky walked in and the house-elf screeched, "Master Barty, Master Barty, what is you doing here?" She flung herself forward onto the young man's chest. "You is killed him! You is killed him! You is killed Master's son!"

Harry blinked. "This can't be good for her fragile mental state."

"I have to agree, Mr. Potter," the head of Gryffindor sighed. For a moment, he wondered if she wondered how he knew about her fragile mental state, but guessed that she would assume he'd been to the kitchens before.

"He's stunned," Remus comforted her. "Just stunned."

* * *

When the interrogations of Crouch and Harry were over, Madam Pomfrey settled Harry into a bed in the Hospital Wing, across from the real Mad-Eye Moody, with Malfoy on his right and Krum on his left. Fleur was across from Malfoy.

Neither Fleur nor Malfoy had a lot of damage, but Madam Pomfrey insisted on the two staying the night. She had a very loud yelling match with Madame Maxine about it. Krum had been attacked by Skrewts— Crouch had been trying to frame him for sabotaging the other two, so finding him stunned would have been suspicious. He was seriously injured, and would be out cold the entire night.

Harry fell asleep the second his head hit the pillow. He was exhausted. He dreamed in flashes that night. Flashes of Voldemort's face from the graveyard hours ago and from the future—the duel in the Department of Mysteries, the Dark Mark over the Astronomy tower, Voldemort flying after him as he escaped the Dursley's for the last time…

"Regrettable, but all the same, Minerva—" Cornelius Fudge was saying loudly.

"You should never have brought it inside the castle!" yelled Professor McGonagall. "When Dumbledore finds out—"

The doors burst open and Harry sat bolt upright. He looked around. Sirius and Remus were at the side of his bed, and all the other Champions were fast asleep. Malfoy stirred for a moment at the loud noises and he might've woken up and decided to feign sleep.

A lifetime ago, Harry would have been worried about Malfoy hearing any of the information that might be said in the room in the next fifteen minutes, but he didn't care. He… he knew him— trusted him, even.

Fudge, Professor McGonagall, and Snape were standing in the doorway. "Where's Dumbledore?" Fudge demanded.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "This is the Hospital Wing, Minister Fudge," he said dryly. "He doesn't make a habit to spend the night here, you know."

"What has happened?" said Dumbledore sharply, looking from Fudge to Professor McGonagall. "Why are you disturbing these people? Minerva, I'm surprised at you— I asked you to stand guard over Barty Crouch—"

"There is no need to stand guard over him anymore, Dumbledore!" she shrieked. "The Minister has seen to that!"

"When we told Mr. Fudge that we had caught a Death Eater who could prove that The Dark Lord had returned," said Snape. "He seemed to feel his personal safety was in question. He insisted on summoning a dementor to accompany him into the castle. He brought it up to the office where Barty Crouch—"

"I told him you would not agree, Dumbledore! I told him you would never allow dementors to set foot inside the castle, but—"

"My dear woman! As Minister of Magic, it is my decision whether I wish to bring protection with me when interviewing a possibly dangerous—"

"The moment that - that thing entered the room," she screamed, pointing at Fudge, trembling all over, "it swooped down on Crouch and— and—"

"By all accounts, he is no loss!He was a raving lunatic!"

"Shut up," Harry said. "I'm trying to sleep. So are Fleur and Malfoy. You'll wake them too if you keep with your yelling!"

Fudge looked at Harry for the first time. "Potter," he said. "Why don't you shed some light on the situation? Did you, by any chance, get whisked away to see an impossible piece of magic preformed? Did you see somebody bring back the dead?" His tone was utterly mocking.

Remus looked amused. "He was only _mostly_ dead."

"What?"

"There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. With mostly dead, he's still slightly _alive_…"

It took Harry a moment to get it. Then he started to laugh. "Remus… I didn't know you've seen _The Princess Bride_." He remembered watching it when he was eighteen. It was Hermione's favourite movie and she insisted on watching it when they were showing Ron, Ginny, and Mr. Weasley what movies were.

Remus shrugged. "I did spend a lot of time in the muggle world… you know, because of my condition… muggles didn't know to discriminate against me…"

The purebloods all looked completely lost. There was an awkward silence.

"What Remus means to say," Harry told them, "is that he was never… actually, dead. Just… powerless and without a body… and now he has one."

"You-Know-Who… returned? Preposterous. Come now… Dumbledore…"

Remus leaned over and whispered in Harry's ear. "That's absolutely and in all ways _inconceivable_!" He gave a short chuckle.

"As Minerva and Severus have doubtless told you," said Dumbledore, "we heard Barty Crouch confess. Under the influence of Veritaserum, he told us how he was smuggled out of Azkaban, and how Voldemort— learning of his continued existence from Bertha Jorkins— went to free him from his father and used him to capture Harry. The plan worked, I tell you. Crouch has helped Voldemort to return."

"See here, Dumbledore," said Fudge. "You— you can't seriously believe that You-Know-Who is back? Come now, come now… certainly, Crouch may have believed himself to be acting upon You-Know-Who's orders, but to take the word of a lunatic like that— Dumbledore…"

"When Harry touched the Triwizard Cup tonight, he was transported straight to Voldemort," said Dumbledore. "He witnessed Lord Voldemort's rebirth. I will explain it all to you if you will step up to my office. I am afraid I cannot permit you to question Harry tonight."

Fudge opened his mouth to continue denying, but Harry scowled. "Just go already," he said. "Please. Voldemort or no Voldemort," Fudge flinched when Harry said the name, "I am exhausted."

"Yes, Harry, we will leave you to your rest," Dumbledore assured him. Harry lied back down and fell back asleep seconds after the loud group left.

* * *

He woke in the morning with only Remus next to him. "Sirius is collecting the old crowd," he said immediately. "Dumbledore's orders. How are you feeling?"

Harry sat up. "I'm fine, I guess," he said. "Fudge didn't believe anything, did he?"

Remus shook his head. "No. We're going to have to act without him."

He sighed. "I thought so. I hate politicians."

Malfoy, who had seemingly been asleep, said, "Me too."

Remus jumped. Nobody in the Order trusted Malfoy, it seemed. "Isn't your father a politician?" Harry asked.

The other boy rolled over to face Harry's bed. "I love my father and all, but not that particular… thing he does."

"What about that _other_ particular thing he does, now?" he teased.

"That too," was the reply. "I don't like that either."

Remus blinked. "Alright, now I think I'm lost. What other thing?"

"Grovelling," Malfoy stated. "He doesn't like it either, you know… but he can't run away."

Harry assumed that the older man knew what Malfoy was referring to now— being a Death Eater.

"You're coming with Sirius and I this summer, to the—?"

A pause. "If I can, yeah."

Remus cut it, "Alright, what's going on?"

"What do you mean, Moony?"

"You," he motioned to Harry, "and you," he motioned to Malfoy, "are way too friendly with each other."

Malfoy shrugged. "Haven't we always been?"

"More this year than last," Remus said. "You were on friendly terms… but now, it's like you're friends."

Before either of them could answer, the doors burst open and Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna, and Ginny entered. "We were so worried," Hermione said, sitting down in the chair that Sirius had occupied the night before. Luna sat down at Harry's feet. Ginny grabbed a chair from beside another bed and pulled it up. Ron and Neville stood at the end of the bed.

Harry smiled. "I'm fine, guys."

"What happened?"

"Are you really asking that?" Malfoy asked. He sat up on his bed and faced them. "Do you really think he'll want to talk about that for the second time within twenty-four hours?"

Ron shot Malfoy a glare. "It's none of your business, _Malfoy_."

"Well, Weasley, you don't want to upset your _friend_ now, would you? Or would you prefer to hear about his adventure that might have emotionally scarred him for life?"

Hermione, though, reached and grabbed Harry's hand. "If you really don't want to—"

He cut her off. "Ignore Malfoy. It's fine— really." He gave the other time-travelled a glare.

"Since when did you care about Harry, anyways, Malfoy!" Ron continued to argue.

"Ron!" Neville hit his shoulder lightly. "Harry is about to start."

They all leaned in, even Malfoy— who hadn't heard the tale from Harry's own mouth— and Harry told his tale.


	30. Warp 1, Year 5, Part 1

First off, I would have _loved _to be able to underline the newspaper heading, but nothings underlining on the document editing. Once I put in the breaks, it removes underlining.

Secondly, I am so sorry for the wait. A couple things came up and put off my writing, and I was a little stuck on how to put the summer into a chapter anyways. I would have put it up this morning, but my computer was completely disconnected by the time I woke up. Then I went into town and then I had to babysit. It's a Saturday, though, so hopefully I'll be right back on my regular schedual now.

Furthermore, I want to thank all my reviewers. You guys are great!

**EDIT: I forgot to put in a line break on the first upload and it bothered me when I noticed. I fixed a couple of missed spelling errors while I was at it. And I put a line in at the beginning of the first letter to Neville and Luna to make it clearer that they were both at Neville's place.**

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And-_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

Thanks to _swanpride _for plot-beta-ing

* * *

**Book 5, Chapter 1: Dudley Demented to Chapter 9: The Woes of Mrs. Weasley**

**Warp 1, Year 5 (part 1), Chapter 29: Flashes of Summer**

* * *

_Dear Malfoy,_

_We'll be going tomorrow with or without you. Are you sure you can't get away?_

_Harry_

_PS: This letter will self-destruct in ten seconds._

* * *

_Potter,_

_What were you thinking? That thing exploded in my hands. Do you know how hard it was to explain to my father? I can destroy letters myself, thanks. I will get my revenge._

_And yes, I'm sure._

* * *

Harry passed a pair of dragon-hide gloves to Sirius and said, "There's probably going to be something there."

Sirius sighed. "I know, I know. You've told me a million times already."

"I know," Harry replied. "But just because we didn't detect anything when we scouted—"

"— doesn't mean that there's nothing there. I _know_."

He reached for the door carefully and turned the knob. He paused, as if he expected it to electrocute him, and then pushed the door open. He took a step into the room and took it all in. It was exactly as he saw it in the memory Dumbledore showed him.

He scanned the room for possible threats. He was surprised to note nothing potentially dangerous yet. He didn't see the Ring out in the open, not that he expected it to be so easy.

Cautiously, they began to search the room for it. Shuffling through the kitchen, overturning furniture, and checking to see if there's a hollow spot under the floor— they couldn't find anything. Harry looked around the room, wondering where else there was to hide it. "It can't be that simple," he muttered. "So obvious."

"What is it?" Sirius asked, curious.

Harry crept towards the bedroom doors. "Tom had a thing for putting his objects in places that matter to him, right?"

"Else we wouldn't be here, Harry."

"So," he mused, "would it not make sense for the Ring to be in his mum's room?"

Sirius nodded, unblinkingly.

The other bedrooms were unlocked and untouched, so they knew for sure which one was Merope Gaunt's.

The door to her room was locked and Harry strongly suspected that a simple _alohamora _wouldn't work. When Harry didn't pull out his wand, Sirius did. Instead of allowing his godfather to try and inevitably fail, he pushed his arm down. "We haven't done any magic so far, and I think it would be better to keep it that way if we could."

The Ministry could track when magic was done around an underage wizard and where, so a location such as this could cause a few unneeded raised eyebrows. "Then what—"

"George taught me how to pick locks the muggle way.

Five minutes later, they were in Merope's bedroom. Obviously, Voldemort figured anybody trying to break into the room would never consider doing it by hand like a muggle. That, or he severely underestimated muggles. Either fit him well enough.

Immediately, there was a noticeable change in the atmosphere. Not only was this room so much mustier than the rest of the house, but it was darker and there was an enchantment in the room that Harry could actually feel it— taste it in the air. He probably wouldn't have noticed if it hadn't been trying to affect him in some way.

The way Sirius flinched and stiffened, it was clear he felt the Dark Magic too.

The first place Harry looked was under the bed, because the room was so small and empty there really wasn't anywhere else to hide it out of plain sight. When he didn't see anything under the bed, he stood up and asked Sirius, "Where is that… that _feeling _coming from?"

Sirius shrugged. "How do you expect me to know?"

"You have more experience with Dark Magic than I do…"

"And you have more experience with Voldemort and his horcruxes than I do."

He sighed. "True." He checked under the bed again, and felt around the floorboards, in case it was invisible. He felt an unnaturally large crack in the floor and turned his head to smile at Sirius. He got a firm grip on the board and yanked it up, banging his arm against the bed in the process.

He felt under the floorboard and found that it was almost like under the loose floorboard in Dudley's second bedroom, but smaller. Feeling around, he griped a small metal box. He pulled it out, and tried to open it. "Locked," he announced.

Sirius groaned. "Could you pick this one?"

"I could try. Do you want to do that here or bring it home and work from there?"

He snorted. "Back to Grimmauld Place? The Order is going to be keeping such a watchful eye on you once they start meeting, which is… by the way, tomorrow! You won't have a chance to play around with Dark Magic."

The lock was very large for such a small box, but it was essentially just a regular lock. It wasn't anything too special and Harry managed it in a few more minutes than it took to do the first one. "Quite glad I could do this here and now," he stated bluntly before opening the box. "I thought this would turn out like the Locket when we came to this as a final defence system. Retrieve— procrastinate until I can do it without an adult noticing and becoming suspicious— loosing…"

The second he opened the lid, a few things happened at once. Firstly, the aura of Dark Magic increased by tenfold. Secondly, Sirius yelled, "I wanna touch it!" and tried to grab for the Ring.

In an instant Harry realized what was going on: There was no way that Dumbledore would have been stupid enough to wear the Ring before checking it out, no matter how much he had wanted to see his family. There was some sort of spell on the Ring to make you want to put it on.

But why wasn't it affecting Harry?

As he dodged Sirius lunging at him, he considered what it might be. He could throw off the Imperious, but this wasn't like that. He took off out of the room at a run with Sirius after him, yelling "Let me see it!"

"No, you idiot! You know what it'll do!" He stuffed the box into his pocket, Ring and all. Sirius had voiced that he'd like to see the Ring at the first possible moment before, out of curiosity (and maybe, Harry had thought, because he wanted to speak to dead people— he knew a lot of them), Dumbledore had wanted to see his family… and he probably hadn't removed whatever curse caused Sirius to—

His train of thought was cut off by Sirius grabbing onto him from behind and reaching into his pocket. Harry knocked off the arm and punched at the man a couple times, hitting his chest and collarbone, before taking off again.

Dumbledore wouldn't have removed any curses before he called for Snape when he was dying… and Snape probably wasn't affected— like Harry.

"Mine!" Sirius cried out. "Mine, mine! Gimme!"

His desire to touch it was getting worse and worse! It was almost as if it was escalating the desire that was already there…

That was what it was doing! As neither Harry nor Snape had felt desire to touch it, they wouldn't be affected. But how could he break Sirius out of it? He'd remove his dragon-hide gloves when he got a hold of it so he could touch it… so that hope was dead before he could really consider it.

"_My precious_!" He was lunged at again, this time more violent.

Harry exited the house at his top speed and slammed the door, but that wouldn't keep Sirius inside for long. He'd need magic if he was going to get Sirius as far from it as possible. Quickly, he transfigured the door into a harder substance, and locked it.

With Sirius banging on the other side of the door, Harry pulled the box back out and pulled a fifth dragon-hide glove from his pocket, and untied the rope around the hole. He carefully reached inside and pulled out a basilisk fang. What? He wasn't going to take chances with a loose basilisk fang in his pocket in a possible fight.

He opened the box again and felt a twinge of desire to touch it out of nowhere. Quickly as he could, he plunged the fang into the ring, not touching it with his hands— dragon-hide gloves or not, he wasn't stupid enough to take that kind of chance.

The damage was visible enough for Voldemort to know somebody was targeting horcruxes if he decided to check up on it, so Harry just closed the box, relocked it with his wand, and tossed it into the tall grass on the side of the house. "There's too many muggle-repelling charms for anybody to accidentally stumble across it," he muttered.

After a moment of silence, Sirius, who was delirious by this point, found a way out and charged at Harry. A quick stunner kept him from attacking Harry. The time-traveller stood in silence for a moment before realizing that he'd probably be caught by the Department of Magical Transportation if he apparated. He didn't know how it worked, but they probably had ways of knowing who was appariting, with the licences required to do so.

Now that he thought about it, they had probably tipped the Ministry to their suspicious location just by appariting there. To be fair, it had been a good half a kilometre from the house, but it was still random enough to cause raised eyebrows. Now that he'd cast a couple spells at the Gaunt Hovel, anybody who noticed would think it strange.

"We really need to get a car," Harry decided.

* * *

Twelve Grimmauld Place looked positively normal. The wall of house-elf heads had been completely removed and replaced, and so did the wall with Sirius's mother's portrait. The walls were faded blues, pale yellows, and earthy greens. All the furniture had been completely replaced— something they hadn't even started on last summer— and the only thing remaining of the old dreary atmosphere was Kreacher, who had cheered up considerably when Harry gave him the remains of Voldemort's locket.

The day after was the first full Order meeting. Harry sat in the kitchen with the growing number of people until Dumbledore arrived, when Sirius was ordered to escort him to his room and lock him in.

"You won't really do it, will you?" Harry whispered as they walked up the stairs.

Sirius snorted. "Of course not. I trust you know where your room is?"

"Yep," Harry replied. "I'll even stay in it. If you discuss anything _interesting_, be sure to tell me."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "I know the plan— get you in on the count that you shouldn't be left out and blah-de-blah."

"Good."

Harry entered his room and sat on the bed, he fell backwards and closed his eyes. With a sigh, he muttered, "It totally won't work."

* * *

"Well, that didn't work," Sirius announced.

Harry shrugged. "I didn't really expect it to."

"What's Plan B, then?"

There was a long pause before Harry responded with, "I don't expect you know if there's magical… James Bond-esque… room bugging? And a device I could communicate with you without anybody listening?"

Sirius blinked. "Who's James Bond?"

Harry groaned.

* * *

_Dear Harry,_

_How's your summer been? You're probably having so much more fun with Sirius over there than I am here. Mum and Dad won't tell us anything! I bet they tell you everything._

_Fred and George are making some pretty cool things for their joke shop, but I keep wondering where they got the money from. I'm sure you know already, but Bill has transferred back to England to help. And Percy and Dad had a row two days ago and he's left. Git._

_Hermione told me she'd be going over there because it's safer and Mum keeps talking about how much more protection that place has than the Burrow. I hope we go to live with you and Sirius too!_

_Ron_

* * *

"How many are left?" Sirius inquired one day.

The Diary, the Ring, the Locket, the Cup, the Diadem, the Snake, Harry, and Voldemort himself. "The Cup, his snake, and me… and him, of course."

"So we only need to break into Gringott's?"

Harry paused for a minute and opened his mouth to say, "Yes," then closed it. "You know, Bellatrix is Malfoy's Aunt. Do you think—?"

Sirius sighed. "The vault would be completely sealed off until they're out of Azkaban."

He smirked. "And if they all died, do you think Malfoy would be able to gain access to her vault?"

Sirius shook his head. "She's only one by marriage," he said. "They would leave all their money to somebody related to the Lestrange side, not the Black."

Harry sighed. "There goes that plan."

* * *

_Dear Neville and Luna,_

_We heard you're both at Neville's for protection, so we might as well just write to you both together, right?_

_How are things over there? It's getting a bit crowded over here (you are so lucky, only having Neville's Gran and Luna's Dad— there's much too many people here) and they won't tell us anything that going on. We're just living here. They won't even let the twins in and they're seventeen!_

_Have you finished your summer homework? We have. After all, we have Hermione over here. Snape's essay was terrible! And History of Magic? The bloody ghost probably doesn't even read them anymore! Just puts and A on all of them and moves on._

_Hermione says that she gets O on her History of Magic essays, so he might skim through them, but he can't be very thorough._

_We can't say much in a letter, Dumbledore's orders, so it's hard to write to people who aren't here. Not that there's much to say, but we have to get Sirius to look over the letters just in case. Do you think you could come over some time next week with Neville's Gran?_

_Hope you're doing well,_

_Harry, Ron, and Hermione_

* * *

"Extendable Ear?"

"Check."

"Drooble's Best Blowing Gun?"

"Check."

"Dungbombs?"

"Check."

"Green paint?"

"Check."

"Orange String?"

"Check."

"This is never going to work," Neville said.

Luna laughed. "The Elephrunts will help. They love making mischief," she said in her usual airy voice.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'll admit, the plan isn't very well thought out."

Neville nodded. "And what's the orange string for?"

Harry grinned. "I just wanted to watch you try to track one down."

"Harry," Ron, the one who had spent a half-hour looking around because Fred and George refused to make one and all the other adults were in the locked kitchen.

"Where did you find it, anyways?" He laughed.

"Sirius's room."

"Not surprised."

"Are you guys ready?"

"As ready as we'll ever be."

"Alright. Phase one, then."

Later, they refused to comment on how, exactly, they managed to turn the entire Order green for a week, cover Snape in pink bubble gun that took hours to get out of his hair, and hear about a weapon that Voldemort didn't have last time— all at the same time.

* * *

_**Harry Potter denies being a lying schizophrenic.**_

_In a letter delivered to the Prophet yesterday, Harry Potter denies the many counts against him by the newspaper. He tells the Prophet that he can't be both a liar and a schizophrenic at the same time._

_He writes, "There's no way I can be both at the same time." He then proceeds to insult the intelligence of the writers at the Prophet before explaining why it is impossible for him to be a lying schizophrenic._

_Schizophrenia is a disorder with symptoms including detachment from reality, often with delusions and hallucinations. He writes, "If I was [schizophrenic], I would believe what I was saying. It would be wrong, but I would believe myself to be telling the truth, so I wouldn't be a liar."_

_Harry Potter then writes, "If I was a lying for attention, I would know that I wasn't telling the truth and I would definitely not have had hallucinations of it happening, so I would be a liar and not a schizophrenic."_

_Many writers who wish to remain anonymous agree, after reading his reasoning, that he can't be both._

_He concludes his letter with saying, "Being a lying schizophrenic is impossible, so please just pick one to call me and stick with it. Thank you."_

* * *

"This is… this…. It's unreal!" Remus said weakly.

Two hours ago, Sirius and Harry locked themselves in Sirius's room for some much needed plotting time, and when Remus came up they decided to finally tell him.

He wasn't taking it too well.

"There… it's physically impossible!"

Harry sighed. "Apparently, not."

"How—?"

"I don't know."

Remus stuttered, "You can't… just… you have to figure out how this happened! What if… what if— I don't know, but this can't just be luck!"

Sirius shrugged. "I dunno. He's pretty lucky."

Harry sighed. "I know… but I don't know how to figure out _how_."

"Time— time is an unstable thing, Harry. You… you can't trust it when you're changing it."

* * *

"She took the last of the Extendable Ears," Fred announced. "Not that we were getting much use out of them since they began to ward the doors against them."

"Are you sure you can't make any more?" Harry asked.

George nodded solemnly. "Not here and now, anyways."

"Maybe here and later," Fred said.

"Or maybe somewhere else and soon," George added. "But no."

* * *

_Dear Harry,_

_We'll be able to come over for your birthday! We've been told they're holding a big party with everybody there!_

_Neville and Luna_

* * *

The thirty-first of July felt like just any other day. Harry had been told that birthdays meant less and less as you aged, but they never mattered much in the first place. He was surprised he could care less.

Everybody else was hyper-up and excited, though. Molly was in the kitchen baking a cake all morning and Sirius and Remus decorated the living room and forbade anybody from entering. Harry was entertained the entire day by guests arriving.

"So," Sirius had mused in a moment they managed to catch alone, "twenty-five, eh?"

Harry nodded dully.

* * *

_Malfoy,_

_Any news?_

* * *

_Potter,_

_No._

* * *

"Booklists have arrived!" Hermione sang one morning as an unfamiliar owl swooped in. Dumbledore had found a teacher that wasn't Umbridge, so the lists arrived on time.

Ron took one and scanned it, "Only two new ones. _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5, by Miranda Goshawk_, and…" He paused and stared at the title. Then a certain shiny badge fell out of his envelope. "Harry, I think I took your—" he saw that he indeed took his own letter and froze solid.

Hermione pulled out her own badge with a satisfied smile and then looked at the booklist, not even realizing what Ron found in his letter. She laughed out loud. "_Defence Against the Dark Arts for Dummies_?"

Harry snorted. "Not surprised. Now let's occupy ourselves with staring at the shininess of Ron's shiny." Hermione raised an eyebrow and then looked to Ron to see what a _shiny_ was.

* * *

_Potter,_

_Who's the Defence teacher? It's not my fault._

* * *

_Malfoy,_

_Sirius Black._

* * *

Neville and Luna came over to celebrate Ron and Hermione getting prefects' badges. As Hermione and Ron mingled with people at their party, the three remaining members of the Dream Team sat in a corner with Sirius.

"Professor Snape will kill you," Neville warned him. "Don't you die on us."

Sirius blinked. "I never thought of that. What's your track record again?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Quirrell? Dead. Lockhart? Dead. Moony? Sacked. Mad-Eye? Locked in a trunk all year." He froze up. The image of Sirius falling through the Veil flashed before his eyes and he said, "If you die, I'll kill you." _Myself_ is what he meant to say. _If you die, I'll kill myself_. Not only was he the one working to prevent as many deaths as possible, he was the one that convinced Sirius to sign up for the position— to prevent Umbridge, of course.

Sirius, sensing what Harry's thoughts must be on— he had been told his previous fate, after all— quickly switched the topic.

* * *

_Potter,_

_Sirius Black? Professor Snape will kill him… or himself._

* * *

"There's nothing to do in this house," Ron complained between mouthfuls of food. "How did you entertain yourself last summer?"

Harry shrugged. "I was allowed out last summer. And we were cleaning and renovating, so there was always something to do."

"Cleaning and renovation? We were waging war against the house… and it was _winning_."

Remus, who'd helped with the cleaning after Harry left, let out a quick bark of a laugh.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You're exaggerating."

Harry and Sirius stared at her.

* * *

_Neville and Luna,_

_Can you believe there's three days left of summer? We'll be able to go outside again! We haven't been allowed out much and you know why. Mrs. Weasley even went to pick up our school things. _

_We had some fun though, and we'll tell you all about it on the Express. _

_We can't wait to see you! It's been weird to have a while summer with just the three of us. We miss you!_

_Harry, Ron, and Hermione_


	31. Warp 1, Year 5, Part 2

This is a bit short, but the next chapter will have a focus and I'd like to keep that part together if I can. Sorry for being a bit late, and thanks to all you reviewers.

This week I put up a one-shot called _The Hobgoblins_ because I hit inspiration when I began this chapter. You know the article about Sirius that makes a guest appearence in this chapter? It's not as BS as Harry thought... I encourage you to check it out.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And-_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- (That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time.)_

* * *

Thanks to _swanpride _for plot-beta-ing

* * *

**Book 5, Chapter 10: Luna Lovegood; Chapter 11: The Sorting Hat's New Song; Chapter 12: Professor Umbridge**

**Warp 1, Year 5 (part 2), Chapter 30: The Beginning of a New Year**

* * *

Harry and Ginny made their way to the end of the train to find Neville and Luna. They found them sitting at the very end of the train, Neville with Trevor in one hand and _that plant_ in the other and Luna with her Quibbler upside down. Off the top of his head, he couldn't remember the name. It was going to be the password, wasn't it? Mimbus Mimbletona… or something like that?

The scene felt so familiar, and it took Harry a second to realize why. This was when he first met Luna last time. "Ginny. Harry," she greeted them over the magazine, "Harry, there's this article that you have to read!" She flipped through the pages, flipped it right-ways-up and handed Harry an article called: _Sirius Black: Singing Sensation?_

Harry remembered this. It was all so familiar. He scanned through it before saying, "I dunno about this one, Luna. I've heard Sirius sing… and he's terrible."

He passed her the magazine and she replied, "He could be faking it to hide, you know."

He gave a doubtful look. "Faking for his own Godson?"

Luna didn't look very happy. Usually Harry was the only one who went along with her weird theories, and she was obviously disappointed. "Anything else good?" he asked, trying to turn the conversation around.

"Minister Fudge bakes Goblin Heads in pies," she tried, a bit more cheery.

Harry laughed. "Now that, I believe. Good to see you again, Luna."

"And you too, Harry… Ginny."

He turned to Neville. "Nice to see you, man. What's with the… plant?"

Neville's face lit up. "It's from my Uncle Algie." The one who dropped him from the window and bought him the toad. "It's a Mimbulus Mimbletonia!" His guess was pretty close.

"I think it's cute," Luna said.

"That's awesome, Neville!"

"It is! It's really, really rare," said Neville, beaming. "I don't know if there's one in the greenhouse at Hogwarts, even. I can't wait to show it to Professor Sprout. I'm going to see if I can breed it."

"Not illegally, I hope," Harry joked, "in the second floor girl's bathroom— dammit!"

"What?" three voices asked at once.

He sighed. "I forgot to get a cat for Moaning Myrtle…"

"A cat?" Neville asked, flabbergasted. "For… for Myrtle."

Harry nodded. "You guys weren't there… but it's in exchange for showing me where the mermaids were in the lake." Not really. It was because he couldn't let her keep Rita Skeeter as a pet, but they didn't really need to know that. "I promised her I'd get her something she wanted… and she wanted a pet cat."

Ginny and Neville just stared at him, but Luna said, "I suppose that makes sense."

Harry covered his face with his hands. "She'll kill me!"

"Technically, she can't…"

"She'll manage something equally horrid. She stalked the girl who bullied her into crying in the bathroom stall where she died until the Ministry ordered her off it…"

"Have Sirius go to the Alley and get one as soon as he possibly can," Neville suggested quickly. "Really."

He sighed. "I'm going to have to."

* * *

When he looked up to the Head Table before the feast, he couldn't help but let out a gasp of horror at two things. The first was that Sirius was sitting beside Snape, whose hair turned bright orange when Sirius winked at Harry. The guy was _so_ going to be killed by the end of the year! The second thing was much more serious. On the end of the table there was an extra seat where the Queen Toad herself sat.

"What is it?" Ron asked.

Harry pointed his thumb to Snape. The man had a look of disgust and utter resentment on his face, but appeared to have not yet realized that his hair was orange. The students were trying not to stare or laugh too hard, lest he realize what Sirius had done. "Sirius not going to live through the year."

Ron let out a small laugh. "Oh well. It'll totally be worth it if that happens on a daily basis." The redhead found himself on the receiving end of a very angry glare.

"I like it," Luna said. "He should keep it that way."

Hermione giggled. "Luna, have I ever told you how much I like you?"

"But…" Neville wondered out loud, "where's Hagrid?"

Hermione and Ron's heads turned to check for him, but they didn't see him either. When they didn't turn back, Harry turned to see what they were looking at. A piece of Snape's hair had fallen in front of his face and his face screamed bloody murder. He pulled his wand and pointed it at Sirius's face, but Sirius was saved by the entrance of the first years.

Snape didn't have a chance to make a scene, but it took a second for him to change his hair back and the first years got a glance. He glared at Sirius, and said something that made Sirius smile challengingly.

"And who's that woman on the end?" Hermione muttered curiously. "Two new faces, so one replacing Hagrid and what?"

Her question was left without response, as the Sorting Hat opened its mouth to sing. Harry didn't pay much attention to it. The song was punctuated by a wild clapping and low mummers.

"To our newcomers, welcome! To our old hands— welcome back! There is a time for speechmaking, but this is not it. Tuck in!" There was more applause as dinner appeared. Ron began stuffing his plate and Hermione began analyzing the song.

"Frankly," Harry told her, "it heard that there's trouble going on— it lives in Dumbledore's office after all— and is telling us to stand together. House unity, you know?"

Ron looked at the Slytherin table hatefully. "Fat chance. Nobody makes friends outside of their house."

Luna looked mildly offended. "Should I leave?"

"I didn't mean you, Luna," he said quickly. "I meant that nobody makes friends with Slytherins."

"Except Harry," Hermione cut in.

Harry shrugged. "I don't know if I'd call Malfoy my friend."

"Then what would you call him?"

Harry glanced over to the Slytherin table to Malfoy, laughing with Tracy Davis. "An ally."

"That's still house unity," Hermione insisted. "Some people," she gave a pointed look at Ron, "wouldn't even be able to be civil to other houses, let alone have them as allies!"

After dinner, Dumbledore stood up for his usual speech. "Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices," he said. "First-years ought to know that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds to students— and a few of our older students ought to know by now, too."

"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four-hundred-and-sixty second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door."

"We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Black, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." The hall clapped, as they usually did for new teachers, and Harry stood up to give his godfather a standing ovation. Fred and George stood up for their hero too. After Fred and George, the number of people giving a standing ovation grew considerably. First with the remaining members of the Dream Team and Ginny, then all of Fred and George's friends, then all of Gryffindor. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw joined in after that. Only the Slytherins remained seated.

Sirius stood up and gave a bow. Beside him, Snape was banging his head against the table.

When the chatter died down, Dumbledore continued, "Also, we are playing host to Madam Umbridge, who is here to observe the school for the Ministry. She will be working hard and it would be appreciated if she could do so in peace." He looked directly at the Weasley twins.

"Tryouts for the house Quidditch teams will take place on the—"

"Hem hem," Umbridge cleared her throat. Dumbledore looked at her, taken aback only for a second before he decided to humour her.

"Thank you, Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome. Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say! And to see such happy little faces looking up at me!"

Harry couldn't help it. He couldn't think of anything tactful to yell out, so instead he yelled, "Go home, terrorist!"

Anybody who was close enough to tell exactly who yelled it, stared.

"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!" Obviously, because she couldn't place who yelled, she ignored it. She cleared her throat. "The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the wizarding community must be passed down the generations lest we lose them for ever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching."

"Dammit," Harry muttered. "She's just here to observe? Whatever happened to observing in silence?"

Ron shrugged. "'Dunno, mate."

Another throat clear. "Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation…"

Harry groaned. "Progress for progress's sake must be discouraged?" he quoted. "No wonder the wizarding world is still in the Dark Ages!"

Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but changed her mind. "I have to agree. Now be quiet! I'm trying to listen."

"That must be hard," Ron said quietly. "That's more boring than _A History of Magic_."

Neville nodded.

* * *

Their first Defence lesson was the last thing of the first day. They had it with the Slytherins; although last time they didn't, Sirius had insisted on this grouping. Probably because it would amuse him.

"Welcome to _Defence Against the Dark Arts_," Sirius announced when the bell rang. "I'm not going to lecture you on your OWLS, because that's all you'll be getting this week… so we're going to start off with the fun stuff."

There was a chorus of "_Yes!_" from the students.

"So far, you've covered vampires in your first year, Lockheart's ego in your second, magical creatures in your third, and how to defend against dark spells in your fourth. This year, we'll be working on _offence_ and _duelling_."

Harry and Sirius grinned at one another. The two had spent some time that summer thinking about what he should be teaching, and between the two's experience, they'd come up with appropriate lessons for all seven years.

"Firstly, we're going to be learning basic spells for duelling like _stupefy _and _expelliarmus_. Then we're going to get into a more creative ways of duelling so you can utilize your strengths and discard your weakest spells. We'll also be working on more advanced defences, like the Patronus Charm."

Sirius waved his wand and two lists of names appeared beside each other on the board. "We're going to start out by evaluating what level each of you is at. I've paired you off randomly for duels." Sirius waved his wand and all the desks moved to the side. "Off the chairs," he ordered. The students complied and the chairs formed into neat lines along the back wall, leaving room for people to sit on them.

He made the chalk mark off three large boxes on the ground for duels and said, "three duels at a time, and I will be switching pairings around until you're paired with somebody at your level. This person will be your duelling partner until I say otherwise." Harry and Malfoy glanced at each other. They were already paired off and they'd probably be partners until the end of the year.

"Does this mean that we might be paired off with slimy Slytherins?" Ron groaned loudly.

Zabini made a face and agreed. "Does this mean we might be paired off with dumb Gryffindors?"

"Ten points from Slytherin," Sirius said happily. "Are the first three pairs ready? Right, begin."

* * *

The week was almost uneventful. Besides Umbridge sitting in on various classes, the only issue was his declining Potions grades. He botched his _Draught of Peace_ and his essay on the properties of moonstone was only _Acceptable_. He only managed to keep it so high so far was because he was so much older. He didn't have any real potion's skills, just seniority.

He was quite happy that the week ended without a single detention from Umbridge.

On Saturday, he found himself sitting in the Room of Hidden Things, discussing the Cup with Malfoy and Sirius.

"We could always break in."

"We'd need a key."

"Explain our situation to the Gobins and request to stab a single item in the vault and leave it there?"

"Like they'd allow that."

"See if you can steal the key and a piece of hair or something over holidays."

"That's if she's out by holidays."

"I can't remember. Can you?"

"Nope."

"That'll be our only chance!"

"We're planning on taking him out at the end of the year."

"We have a pretty damn good reason too!"

"This is so going to be complicated if she doesn't break out by Christmas."

"We're doomed."

"Seconded."

"Thirded." Harry sighed. "I'll see you two later. I've got Quidditch Practice."

Malfoy gave a mischievous smile. He opened his mouth and began to sing, "Weasley cannot save a thing; he cannot block a single ring. That's why Slytherins all sing—" He was cut off by a silencing charm.


	32. Warp 1, Year 5, Part 3

Alright, I know this is late and a little short, but I've been busy. This chapter also isn't going quite in the direction I was aiming for, but it'll do. Thanks to my reviewers and I hope you enjoy.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And-_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- "That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time." Little did they know…_

* * *

Thanks to _swanpride _for plot-beta-ing

* * *

**Book 5, Chapter 15: The Hogwarts High Inquisitor; Chapter 16: In the Hog's Head; Chapter 17: Educational Degree Number Twenty-Four; Chapter 18: Dumbledore's Army**

**Warp 1, Year 5 (part 3), Chapter 31: Return of the High Inquisitor**

* * *

"So, Padfoot, what are the plans?" Harry asked casually. He was lazing around the Defence room five minutes before class starts while Neville, Ron, Luna, and Hermione put a new secret plan into action. Harry would have been out there with them had they not been on a stealth mission. People always noticed when the celebrity was in a certain place in the castle, but nobody paid any mind to his friends' actions.

Sirius shrugged. "More duels. There are still a couple people I'm having problems pairing."

"Who?"

He shrugged again. "It doesn't really matter. Worst case scenario, they'll get paired with each other. Next lesson I plan to—"

Sirius was cut off by Neville, Hermione, and Ron running into the room, all yelling at the same time. "Woah, not all at once," Harry yelled on top of them, but nobody heard him. They ranted on loudly, trying to get the point across all at the same time for a couple of minutes before Harry finally managed to yell, "Shut up!"

They all went silent. "Now tell me, but not all at once, what were the results?"

There was no immediate response, only long faces. Hermione wordlessly passed a sheet of paper to Harry and Harry sighed. "Do you think you can put your alternate lesson plan in action so early?"

Sirius sighed. "We knew this day was coming, Harry."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "We're just going to dull it down, right?"

"Yeah. We better clean up."

With a flick of a wand, the room rearranged itself from its ready-for-duels state to a proper classroom. The desks lined themselves up in neat rows, and a piece of chalk wrote _Open Textbook Page 5_ on the chalkboard. The lines separating sections of the room for duels disappeared and the chairs lining the sides of the classroom floated over to the desks and dropped lightly, then pushed themselves in.

Harry dropped his bag beside a desk in the center of the back row. Hermione, Neville, and Ron took seats around him— Hermione in front, Ron on his right, and Neville on his left. "Give us an actual theory lesson, 'kay?"

The professor rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to let this be a total waste," he said with a laugh.

The bell rang and the class began to file in. They loudly questioned, "Why…?" and took seats in the desks.

Umbridge wandered in last and looked on from the back of the room.

Sirius smirked and said, "Open your books up to page five." He paused and waited for the class. When the books were opened all around he said, "What you're looking at is a list of spells you'll need to know for your OWLs. What I need you to do is read the theory, and quietly practice the wand movements for the first five."

The class was giving him suspicious looks and glancing at each other. Umbridge seemed to catch the weird atmosphere or received a vibe that this was unusual, because she was scribbling something down with a glint in her eyes. Harry was glad she couldn't do anything… _yet_.

"So, this is your first year teaching at Hogwarts?" Umbridge inquired.

Sirius scowled at her. "Aren't you just supposed to be _quietly_ observing?"

"I'll take that as a yes," she replied, making a note on her clipboard.

Sirius rolled his eyes and scanned the class. "Miss Davis, I said practice the wand movements, not cast the spells on your classmates. Ten points from Slytherin and take Mr Malfoy to the Hospital Wing. I'm not trained in reversing… faulty spells."

* * *

_Ministry Seeks Educational Reform_

_Dolores Umbridge appointed first ever High Inquisitor_

Harry groaned when he saw the headlines. "And so it begins," he said darkly.

Hermione, curious, took the paper from Harry and whispered the article as she read. When she was done reading, she slammed the paper on the table. "This is outrageous! I can't believe it!"

"Believe it," Harry sighed. "The first to go will be Trelawney, not that I'm complaining about that too much. When Hagrid returns, he'll be next. That is, if she hasn't pinned anything on Sirius. She might even dismiss him on suspicion alone. Fudge will want to control the Defence position."

"Trelawney should have been sacked ages ago," Hermione said passively. "The Defence position makes sense… I mean, did you hear of that new piece of legislation that allows the Ministry to appoint a teacher to any position that can't be filled?" Neville, Luna, and Harry nodded. They looked to Ron and he shrugged. "Well, nobody will really want the Defence position—

"Except Snape," Ron cut in.

The girl gave him a dry look. "Dumbledore would then need to replace Snape—"

Ron cut in again, "The Ministry would do it if he couldn't."

The rest of the Dream Team— even Luna, who believes everything— looked at him in shock at how much sense his idea made. Ron didn't have a reputation of having ideas that made logical sense. "Yes," Harry admitted, "but it's cursed. Dumbledore needs Snape around. Not to mention that there's so many more people qualified for Defence than Potions. The Ministry would likely just put Snape back on the job to empty that with the excuse that it's easier work for them."

"Yes, exactly."

Neville gave a weak smile. "Look on the bright side. It'll be funny to see McGonagall and Snape _inspected_."

"Watching quietly is one thing," Harry agreed. "Umbridge won't know what hit her."

"She sat in on three lessons today alone!" Sirius moaned, putting his face in his hands. "If she keeps this up much longer, you guys won't learn anything!"

Harry shrugged. "We still have time."

Two weeks had passed since Umbridge had been appointed and she was only slightly annoying compared to how she was at the height of her power.

Harry sighed and stretched his arms in front of himself lazily. Something was missing. He knew what was missing. Here he was, at fifteen, and suddenly it felt ten times stranger to see his fifteen-year-old hands without their permanent scars. "I will not tell lies," he muttered, considering (and throwing the idea out as quickly as it came to him) irritating Umbridge just so he had some sense of normal again.

"She's done it a good two dozen times in a fortnight, Harry!"

Harry patted his godfather on the back. "Are you coming to Hogsmeade or not, Padfoot?" He nodded. "Alright, then, let's go." They left Sirius's office in a complete mess and as they walked Harry switched to a lighter subject. "So… any ideas for plans to get the Cup?"

"Nope."

"Enough money to get a cat for Moaning Myrtle?"

"Should I ask?"

"Not really."

* * *

When Myrtle saw the black cat in Harry's arms, she let out a squeal of happiness. He let the cat down and it walked over to Myrtle curiously and walked around her a couple times before it tried to rub itself against her legs. This seemed to slightly disheartened Myrtle.

"What do you want to name her?"

Myrtle drifted into the floor until only her head was sticking out of the ground and her eyes were level with the cat. "Jack," she said.

"Jack?"

"Jack."

* * *

When they walked into Sirius's classroom the Dream Team was surprised to see Hedwig perched on the window, waiting for them. A letter was tied to her leg but Harry was distracted by the awkward way her wing was held. "She's hurt," Hermione observed and ran over her.

"What happened?" Ron said with a worried look as Hedwig stuck out her leg for Hermione to take the letter and her wing moved to a more awkward-looking position.

Harry frowned. "It looks like she was attacked."

"Thestrals attack birds," said Luna.

"There aren't Thestrals at Hogwarts," Hermione denied quickly. Luna didn't look too phased by it; Hermione always shot down what Luna said and they liked each other just fine above it all.

"There are so," Harry said as she passed him the letter. "Hagrid has them trained not to attack the post owls, though." He checked the letter. "It's from Moony. I'm going to take her to Grubbly-Plank. How long do I have?"

Ron checked his old, worn watch. "Fifteen minutes," he informed him. "You know, give or take five."

Neville raised an eyebrow. "You adjusted your watch this morning."

Ron's ears went red and he didn't make a move to answer.

Harry took Hedwig and left the room at a brisk walk. "I hope she doesn't have classes or anything," he muttered as he made his way to the teacher's lounge. He was quite lucky that she was indeed there.

After quickly explaining the situation and saying goodbye to Hedwig, he took off back to class.

So Umbridge was going through his mail this time, too? He wondered passively if it was a coincidence, but wrote that idea off. He was corresponding with a half-human, and that was bad enough for her to want to read it. She's Umbridge, after all. Did she read his outgoing mail too? He knew the possibility, so he was careful not to give too much away, but did Remus know?

He opened the letter to find out.

_Dear Prongslet_,

_I apologize for taking so long to write back. I've been quite busy with my new job and that favour you asked of me. I'm happy to say that there is a way to do what you're saying is impossible and when you come home for Christmas I might just tell you. _

_How is Sirius? Is he reading this with you? Tell him that I said "Hi" alright? I miss having you two home even though I'm not home very often anymore. I work nights pretty often and I sleep there if I was working, but when I'm off I like to leave. If I do end up staying around on a day off I have lots of people over to keep me company. The house is so empty without you._

_There's nothing much interesting to say right now so I'll let you go. Hope you two are having a good time and I'd love to hear your stories. Write back soon._

_Your friend,_

_Moony._

"Thank God," Harry muttered to himself when he finished reading the letter. Remus took the hint and hid his meanings. He's busy with the Order and trying to find a way to break into Gringotts without polyjuice if _Plan A_ failed, and he had an idea on how to do it. He was guarding the door often and the Order was still meeting up at Sirius's. He wants to hear how bad Umbridge is being.

The bell rang just as he reached the right floor and he took off at a run.

Harry opened the door and entered the room. Sirius was smiling at the class, all standing in a group in the center of the room. "All right, we finally have a session without Umbridge," he spat the name out, "watching my every move, so grab your partners and practi—" he cut himself off when he heard a noise in the hall and listened for a moment. He walked over to his desk and checked the Marauder's Map, which was opened on his desk. Umbridge's dot was the History of Magic classroom. "And practice with them. There are cushions for stunners," he finished.

Harry and Malfoy grinned at each other and took a space at the front of the classroom. "Expelliarmus!" Harry cast, and Malfoy let his wand fly out of his hand. "I wish we were in a higher level class."

Malfoy retrieved his wand and cast, "Stupefy," which Harry dodged. "We're practicing casting, Harry, not dodging."

The two froze instantly. "You just…" Harry stuttered, "you called me— my name, you… you…"

Malfoy scoffed, though his face betrayed his equal shock at calling Harry by his first name. "Don't take it to heart, Potter."

Luckily, the awkward tone was broken when Sirius walked over to them and smiled mischievously. "You two…" he said with an ominous voice, "you two will be doing them silently. If I hear a single spell from you two, you'll get detention."

Harry moaned. "I can't do silent spells! He knows that, he—"

His complaints were cut off by a silent stunner from Malfoy.

* * *

After Quidditch Practice one day, there was a sudden pain in Harry's forehead. He let out a surprised gasp as he felt Voldemort become angry.

"What is it?" Ron asked, giving him an odd look. He was about to answer when he realized that this Ron wasn't used to Harry sharing any connection at all with Voldemort and it would be much too random.

That, and he really didn't want to end up stuck in Occlumency lessons. He could keep Snape or Dumbledore from seeing anything when they were being passive and just checking his surface thoughts, but he was still helpless against a full-blown attack. Snape did not need to know anything about the future. Too many people knew already.

But what about Arthur Weasley? Nobody has any reason to believe him if he has a nightmare of Arthur being attacked while on guard.

"Harry?"

"Sorry." He gave his friend a wide smile. "My mind just kind of wandered a bit, there. I have a headache."

He could start dropping hints or something, but it might not happen at all anyways. There was no way to prevent it, though…

"Do you want to go see Madam Pomfrey?"

The only way would be for… that's it! Harry had to hold himself back from letting out a yell of triumph. It was so obvious! And if they played their cards right, they could kill two birds with one stone…

"Nah," said Harry, containing his excitement. "I'll just go see Sirius. Bye!"

He took off at a run, not even looking back to Ron. He was brilliant! Why didn't he think of this before? Into the Entrance Hall, he ran, and on the first flight of stairs he saw Malfoy. "C'mon, Malfoy! I just had a brilliant idea!" he said as he ran by.

Malfoy didn't follow immediately. "What kind of idea?"

"Just c'mon," Harry yelled. He was already a flight ahead of his fellow time-traveller. "You don't want to miss this!"

"Alright!" Malfoy called back. "I'm coming!"

They reached the staff room and Harry knocked impatiently. Grubbly-Plank opened the door and said, "Ahh, Mr. Potter, your owl is doing wonderfully—"

"I need to speak to Sirius," he said quickly.

"You should be calling him Professor Black, Mr. Potter."

"That's not important right now," Harry replied. "Sorry, but I need to speak to him!"

"Alright," Grubbly-Plank said. "I'll get him."

The woman disappeared behind the door and Sirius exited a couple moments later. "What is it?" he asked.

Harry leaned in and whispered, "Otnay erehay."

Sirius raised and eyebrow at the Pig Latin. "It's a good thing he's not paranoid," he whispered to Malfoy as they walked to the Room of Requirement, Harry miles in the lead.

They entered the Room of Hidden Things and Harry said, "I've figured the best way to kill Nagini."

"Wow," said Malfoy unenthusiastically, twirling his finger in the air.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Not only that, my brilliant idea also keeps Arthur Weasley from being attacked!"

Sirius blinked. "Why was I not informed that Arthur would be attacked?"

Harry shrugged. "I never really thought about it. But my scar hurt— Voldemort was mad— today, and remembered the incident… and realized that if we make sure Moony takes duty for around that time… and get him a basilisk fang… then he can kill Nagini."

"That's painfully obvious," Sirius replied. "If I was informed that Nagini would attack a guard on duty I would have thought of it ages ago."

"It slipped my mind!" Harry defended himself.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "And that's very responsible of you. Now… when is this to happen?"

Harry opened his mouth, and then closed it. He paused, then opened it again, and closed it again. He gave a frown. "I forget."

Malfoy placed his hand on his face and shook his head. "I can't believe you."

"Within the last week of school before Christmas, I think," he considered the timing out loud. "There's no guarantee it would be the exact same day anyways, but it should happen…"

Sirius nodded. "I can work off that. We'll have to get him a couple of basilisk fangs by then and I'll tell him the plan at the next meeting."

"Now that we've realized that the best solution to Nagini was… well, so plainly obvious… can I go now? I told Tracey I would help her with her Transfiguration and I'm late."

"Yeah, go."

And so he did.

"You know, Wilhelmina meant to give you back your owl when she saw you on the other side of the door," Sirius changed the subject.

Harry blinked. "Who?"

"Grubbly-Plank."

"Oh." He paused. "At the next Order meeting can you ask Moony what his idea to get the Cup is?"

"That would be best."

"I'm going to go get Hedwig, then."


	33. Warp 1, Year 5, Part 4

LOOK! I exist!

In all seriousness, though, I have a legitimate excuse. My computer broke mid-September, just as I was settling into the semester, and I didn't get it back until November, which was National Novel Writing Month. December was spent recovering from NaNoWriMo (I couldn't handle school essays properly after that!) and January was preparing for exams. February was spent settling into the new semester again, and this semester is harder so I had to find the time for writing. But here it is now.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And—_

_

* * *

_

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- "That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time." Little did they know…_

_

* * *

_

Thanks to _swanpride_ for being my plot-beta.

* * *

**Book 5, Chapter 19: The Lion and the Serpent; 20: Hagrid's Tale; Chapter 21: The Eye of the Snake. **

**Warp 1, Year 5 (part 4), Chapter 32: Imminent Problems**

**

* * *

**

There was something in the air, something exciting. Harry thought it was funny that, after all these years, the spirits of a school Quidditch game still left his heart pounding and he couldn't help but smile.

"I'm mental," Ron whispered to him, staring at his unusually empty plate not daring to pick at his food, probably in fear of it coming back up during the game. "I'm absolutely mental, Harry, why did you let me sign up for this?"

Harry simply laughed. "It's not a big deal, Ron. Nobody will be mad at you if you lose—"

He was cut off by George Weasley, who was sitting across the table, telling Ron, "We'll just disown you."

Ron's face paled even more, if that was even possible. From beside his twin, Fred laughed. He then looked to Ron with a smirk and said, "Fred's right, you know." There he was, calling his twin by his name again.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Don't listen to them, Ron."

"All right," Ron replied, but Harry knew what they said was bothering him. It was just Ron's way.

Not another word was said until the girls' and Neville made their first appearance. Harry was halfway through his meal, but Ron's plate was still untouched. Both players smiled when they noticed Luna's old roaring lion hat.

Once seated, Hermione leaned to Harry and mumbled, "Don't let Ron see what the Slytherins' badges say." Without even looking, Harry knew exactly what she was talking about. He sighed. He should really talk to Malfoy about treating other people properly. _That song_ wasn't very sportsmanlike.

Then again, since when have the Slytherins been sportsmanlike?

On that subject, Harry remembered something very important about the first Quidditch match of the year in his fifth year. As he passed by Malfoy on his way to the Pitch, he told him, "You had better not dare get us banned from Quidditch this year."

"Wouldn't dream of it," his almost-friend replied.

* * *

The post-game celebration was just as amazing as it always was. Harry didn't want to join in the celebrations, though, because he knew something better was going to happen. Sure enough, Hermione left her party-corned to announce that she noticed through the window, "Hagrid's back."

"Awesome!" Harry exclaimed. "Let's go see where he's been!" He quickly sprinted up to his dorms and returned with the cloak and the Marauder's Map. When he returned, all four of his friends raised their eyebrows at the cloak. "It's in case of emergency," he defended. He knew they wouldn't be able to all travel under it, but if Umbridge showed up at Hagrid's it could probably cover them all if they squished together in a corner.

And he knew Umbridge was going to show up to talk to Hagrid.

They travelled through the halls, tip-toeing and watching the Map for teachers. They nearly had a run in with Nearly Headless Nick, who was humming _Weasley is our King_ absently, but he didn't notice them.

They reached Hagrid's hut in a timely manner, and Harry immediately began to bang on the door. "Open up, it's us!" he yelled.

"Shoula known," was the half-giant's reply. "Bin home three seconds… outa the way, Fang…" Despite his complaints, it was obvious that their friend was pleased by their visit. The locks were unbolted and the door was opened.

Hermione screamed.

"Merlin's beard, keep it down," Hagrid replied hastily. He looked over their heads for any hint of somebody who might have heard Hermione. "Where's the cloak?"

Harry held it up. "We can't all fit under it anymore," he stated plainly. "That's why we have the Map."

"What happened, Hagrid," Ron changed the subject quickly to Hagrid's face. Hagrid's hair was matted with congealed blood and his left eye had been reduced to a puffy slit in the middle of a mass of purple and black bruising. There were many cuts on his face and hands, some of them still bleeding and he was moving cautiously, which made Harry suspect broken ribs.

"It's nothing," he replied, motioning for them to enter the hut. They quickly entered. "Care for a cuppa?"

"Hagrid, what happened," Neville demanded when they were safe inside the warm building.

"I'm tellin' yeh, I'm fine," said Hagrid. "Blimey, it's good ter see yeh again— had good summers, did yeh?"

"Hagrid, you've been attacked!" said Hermione.

"Fer the las' time, it's nuthin'!" said Hagrid firmly.

"You should go see Madam Pomfrey," said Harry.

"I'm dealin' with it, all righ'?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Seriously, what did the giants do to you?"

Hagrid blinked. "Who said anythin' about giants?"

He pointed to himself casually. "I did. It's not that hard to guess, Hagrid, my friend."

"Never known kids like you five fer knowin' more'n yeh oughta," he muttered. "An' I'm not complimentin' yeh, neither. Nosy, some'd call it. Interferin'."

"High praise," Harry replied. "Given, it's usually these four who are nosy…"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You're not nosy because you, somehow, always already know everything!"

"I can't deny that," he admitted. "So, tell us about the giants."

* * *

Of course, Umbridge did make her surprise visit to Hagrid while the Dream Team hid in the corner, squished together under the Invisibility Cloak.

Harry wasn't surprised in the least bit when Hermione spent the rest of the weekend in and out of Hagrid's hut trying to explain to him that whatever lesson plan he had in store, it had to be a _completely harmless_ and _conventional _animal. He didn't try to argue with her, but everybody knew that Hagrid was the definition of unconventional, and he wouldn't know harmless if it slapped him in the face.

The class, of course, ended up going exactly as Harry knew it would, less a couple annoying comments from Malfoy. Umbridge wasn't very happy with the Thestral lesson, but Harry didn't expect her to be.

Nothing made Umbridge happy because no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pin anything on Sirius. No matter how many of his lessons she would watch, she couldn't find an excuse to fire him. He was getting quite good at teaching them without actually teaching them whenever she was around. As a result, she stalked around the castle angrily.

December arrived quickly enough, and Harry was still getting nowhere with his silent spell-casting in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Somehow, during the lessons that Sirius was free to teach however he wanted, he managed to keep an ear out for Harry's voice and would literally shock him whenever he said a spell out loud.

Everybody's Christmas plans were organized before Harry even realized how quick time was passing. Malfoy was going home and trying to figure a way to break into his Aunt's vault. Hermione was going skiing with her parents. Luna was spending Christmas at her home with her father, and Neville was with his Gran. Both the Lovegoods and the Longbottoms had been invited to the Weasley family Christmas, as well as Harry and Sirius, of course. Harry and Sirius didn't have plans because their Christmas depended on how Remus came out of his likely encounter with Nagini.

They might be spending Christmas celebrating another Horcrux down, or they might be spending it in St. Mungos… or worse. Harry really didn't like to think of that, though.

"I don't see why Umbridge has to be here all the time," Hermione complained one evening in the Gryffindor common room. "Have you heard about Educational Decree Number Twenty-Five? She controls discipline now! Harry, if you step one toe out of line you'll find yourself in deep trouble."

"What's the worst she can do to me?" Harry laughed. Though his words were carefree, he knew the worst she could do and he didn't want to be on the receiving end of that again. Absently, he rubbed the back of his hand.

Hermione didn't notice his actions, because she had turned to watch Fred, George, and Lee all entering the common room doing the same thing she didn't notice him doing. "Do you know what those three did the other day? Pulled a prank on McGonagall, and she was just around the corner. They had detention with _her_ tonight for it."

Harry immediately knew what she had done to them. "I'll be right back," he told his friends and hurried over to Fred, George, and Lee. "What'd she make you write?" he asked casually.

The three friends exchanged glances and didn't say a word.

"Right," said Harry. "Don't tell me, then. I'm just here to recommend Murtlap Essence."

"Thanks," Lee replied. "She's a monster."

"No problem," he said.

"What was that about?" Hermione inquired when he returned.

Harry shrugged. "It was nothing. Luna," he turned to the young Ravenclaw sitting on the couch, "it's getting late. You should get back to your own common room."

"It isn't exceptionally late," she replied. "I rather like it here. The colours are very warm. We only have blues and a lot of stone in Ravenclaw. It's rather unwelcoming." Somehow, Harry wasn't so sure that she was just talking about the colours.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Is the Quibbler talking about Feng-Shui now?" Neville batted her arm. "Hey!"

"The Wild Victini don't like cool colours, and they're good luck," Luna explained, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Hermione rolled her eyes again, and this time both Neville and Ron batted her playfully. Despite it all, though, Hermione was very fond of Luna.

Harry drew a blank, though. He didn't remember anything in the Quibbler on Wild Victini, and he made sure to keep up with articles for Luna. Was it something very old? He took her hand and pulled her up from her spot on the couch. "Luna, what was Hermione just talking about before the twins and Lee came back?"

"Educational Decree Number Twenty-Five," she supplied.

"Yeah," said Harry. "You don't want to get in trouble with _her_ in charge of the punishments."

"Oh, all right," Luna said with a sigh. He began to walk her to the portrait hole and as they reached it the small girl said quietly, "Harry, please don't tell them that Wild Victini don't exist." It was just as he suspected.

He smiled at her softly. "Of course I won't. Your secret is safe with me. If the 'Claws start giving you a hard time, I'll set them straight. You know that, right?"

The portrait hole swung open and the two friends stepped through. "I know," she whispered. "Thank, Harry."

He pulled her into a hug. "It's no problem, Luna."

"Well, isn't this just touching?" a familiar voice drawled a couple of feet away. "You know, Lovegood shouldn't be in your common room, Potter."

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?"

"I was looking for you, actually," he said.

"I'll go now," said Luna, struggling out of his arms.

Harry let go of her and smiled. "All right. I'll see you tomorrow, Luna."

"Bye!" she waved and began to skip through the halls. The two boys watched her and she departed, and when she was out of their sight Malfoy grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him away from the Fat Lady's portrait.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"My Aunt won't be escaping until January," Malfoy said. "I'm sure of it."

"Was that the emergency?" Harry asked skeptically. "We were pretty sure it would be after Christmas already."

"No, I have an idea."

"What's the plan?"

"It's not a plan, exactly, but something we probably should have thought about ages ago…"

"What is it?"

"Ever thought the Dark Lord would notice that Lupin killed his snake with Basilisk venom?" he asked.

Harry stared at him. He blinked once, twice, and then a third time before he said, "Merlin… duh!"

"You're the best planner I've ever met," replied Malfoy dryly.

"There's no need for sarcasm. We could probably use this to our advantage."

The Slytherin raised his eyebrow. "How? What if he makes more Horcruxes?"

"It can't be that easy," Harry pointed out. "I mean, he has… what, a… half of a half of a half of a half of a half…" He stopped and counted, the continued, "of a half. Right?"

"How should I know? And do you know that for sure?" Malfoy inquired.

"No, but…"

"Then we're talking a huge risk, Potter."

"It's too late to stop the plan now… and we won't have another opportunity! Not before the end of this year! We have to end this!"

"But, Potter, what if it doesn't work?" There was something in his voice that wasn't there before. Harry couldn't place it.

He sighed. "We can't worry about _What If_s. If we're lucky, Voldemort will move your Aunt's horcrux to somewhere easier to break into…"

"And if he doesn't? I don't want to be a Death Eater." That was what it was; he was scared.

"Look, Draco," Harry said, "everything is going to turn out all right. I promise."

He scowled. "I'm not one of your little girl pets, Potter. Don't treat me like one." He brushed passed and walked away.

Harry sighed. "I wasn't," he said quietly to Malfoy's back as he turned the corner, then with a soft groan he walked back over to the Fat Lady's portrait and back into the common room.

He took Luna's seat on the couch and Ron immediately asked, "What took you? You weren't snogging Luna in the corridor or anything, were you?"

Harry sighed. "Of course not, Ron. Malfoy was looking for me. He had something _important_ to talk about."

Ron scoffed. "I still can't believe you're friends with that git."

"Not friends, exactly… just… allies. I'm going to turn in, all right?"

"Goodnight," the three Gryffindors chorused.

Harry was out like a light that night. His dreams were less than peaceful, though.

His body felt smooth, powerful and flexible. He was gliding between shining metal bars, across dark, cold stone. He was flat against the floor, sliding along on his belly. It was dark, yet he could see objects around him shimmering in strange, vibrant colors. There was a man standing with something in his hand. He was threatened by it; it was dangerous.

The man was backing away. He was not. He slid closer and suddenly there was pain. He lunged, and there was blood everywhere. The man was injured, but he was dying… dying… his scar! His scar was killing him!

Harry awoke screaming.

"Harry! Harry!"

"He's really ill; should we call someone?"

"What happened?"

"Harry, Neville's gone for help."

Remus. Remus was bitten, but he had managed. Somehow, he had managed to destroy the snake. Five down, two to go. Then he could kill Voldemort.

But first he had to deal with the immediate problem. Remus was bitten.


	34. Warp 1, Year 5, Part 5

Thanks to all my reviewers. You guys are all wonderful and every review puts a smile on my face. I have a lot of school work on my plate right now, and I wrote this while procrastinating an essay on Macbeth. Terrible of me, I know it is. Onto more important things, though. This was a pretty serious chapter that was pretty easy to write once I found the time. You can expect an update within the next two weeks, hopefully.

Now, because Ginny is in this chapter I expect a half my reviews to complain. Pairings are _not_ a major point in this fic. Harry is a twenty-five year old and they're all fifteen. It's not his biggest concern. Nor is it mine. Whatever pairing that does happen will be the one that feels right. I'm open to (almost) all pairings, so nobody worry your sweet heads about it. Another chapter note: The Carrow twins are movie-verse extras; it's never stated that they're related to THE Carrows, but it's a logical conclusion to make. It's hard finding extra characters in other years, and when I found these two they fit my plans perfectly. I'll be going more into what they're up to later.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And—_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- "That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time." Little did they know…_

* * *

This chapter is has not gone through my beta. I sent it to her about a week ago now, and I still have not received a reply. (If you're reading this... did you even get it?)

* * *

**Book 5, Chapter 22: St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries**

**Warp 1, Year 5 (part 5), Chapter 33: Not Over Yet**

* * *

For once, Harry didn't know what to do.

He had tried so hard not to let Dumbledore know he had a connection to Voldemort. He tried so hard that nobody knew that he did have a connection to Voldemort. Nobody except Sirius, Moony, and Malfoy knew he was a horcrux, and he didn't want anybody else to know.

Who would believe him, anyways? He never told anybody about dreams where he was in Voldemort's mind even though he had been having them often enough. He even occasionally had a long corridor dream, which led him to believe that Voldemort knew of their connection.

Furthermore, even if he was believed, the next thing he'd be stuck doing would be Occlumency lessons with Snape, and that would probably reveal to Snape that Harry and Malfoy are accidental, unexplained time-travellers… and that's something that Harry didn't want to happen.

"Harry, what happened?"

He looked to Ron and sighed. "It was real," he tried. "My dream. I know it. Moony is in danger..." He paused and took a deep breath. "Moony is dying."

The look Ron gave him was the one that Harry expected— a look of confusion and disbelief. "What?"

The time-traveller winced. "I don't know how to explain it," he said. "I… I had a dream and it was real. I know it was! And Moony…"

"It was a dream, Harry. It was just a dream… You're not well. Neville's getting help."

"Have I ever been wrong before?" Harry was desperate. If nobody believed him, he would lose Remus. "Trust me!"

From the door came the voice of McGonagall. "What is it, Potter?" she asked.

"It's Remus. He's hurt… he's dying. I know it!"

McGonagall looked at him carefully. For a minute, the room was silent. Then, carefully, McGonagall said, "What happened?"

"It was a dream. It wasn't though. It was real. It… Professor, I saw it. I know it was real."

"What did you see?"

"I saw Remus brutally attacked by a giant snake!" He was beginning to get frustrated. The longer the spent discussing it, the worse it was for Remus. "I'm not lying and I'm not crazy!"

"I believe you, Potter," said McGonagall. "Put on your dressing gown. We're going to see the Headmaster."

He was relieved she was taking him seriously despite the fact that he's never told anybody of this kind of dream before. His entire body relaxed and he let out a loose breath, realizing that through the entire exchange his teeth had been clenched.

Quickly, he threw on his dressing gown and rushed out the door. They walked the familiar, dark hallways quickly and down to the Headmaster's office.

"Fizzing Wizzbee."

Despite his mind being other places— namely, in the Department of Mysteries where Remus was bleeding to death, poisoned by snake venom— Harry made note of the password, just in case.

The two climbed the stairs to Dumbledore's office and McGonagall knocked three times, and then opened the door. Despite the late hour, Dumbledore was sitting in his desk.

"Oh, it's you, Minerva… and… ah?"

"Professor Dumbledore, Potter has had a… well, a nightmare," said Professor McGonagall. "He says…"

"It wasn't a nightmare," said Harry quickly. "It was real. I know it!"

"Well, then, Potter. Tell the Headmaster about it."

"It's Remus," said Harry. Dumbledore looked at him, interested. "I don't know where he is," he lied, "but I'm sure you do… well, there was a snake. Voldemort's snake. It… she… she bit him. He's dying, Professor."

Dumbledore looked at him for a moment, and then looked down to the papers on his desk. Harry momentarily wished he could hear Dumbledore's thoughts for the moment. He remembered being quite angry at Dumbledore for refusing to look him in the eye during his fifth year, but this time there wasn't that problem. If he was looking away now, he was probably figuring out exactly what Harry hoped he wouldn't. "How did you see this?"

Harry scratched his face. "Well… I was the snake…" He wished he could have lied about that, but he knew that the truth was the most believable in this case, even if it did confirm any suspicions Dumbledore might have.

There was a moment where both Professors were quiet. A deep frown graced his face. "Remus is dying."

"Remus is dying."

But Dumbledore stood up, so quickly it made Harry jump, and addressed one of the old portraits hanging very near the ceiling. "Everard?" he said sharply. "And you too, Dilys!"

A sallow-faced wizard with a short black bangs and an elderly witch with long silver ringlets in the frame beside him, both of whom seemed to have been in the deepest of sleeps, opened their eyes immediately.

"You were listening?" said Dumbledore.

The wizard nodded and the witch said, "Naturally."

"Remus Lupin. I'm sure you both remember him," said Dumbledore. "Everard, you will need to raise the alarm, make sure he is found by the right people—" Both portraits nodded. Dumbledore looked to Harry, clearly trying to be careful not to catch his eye too long. "Everard and Dilys were two of Hogwarts's most celebrated Heads. Their renown is such that both have portraits hanging in other important wizarding institutions. As they are free to move between their own portraits, they can tell us what may be happening elsewhere… please, sit down."

Both Harry and McGonagall complied.

To Fawkes, the Headmaster said, "We will need a warning."

Dumbledore began to fumble around with his various nick-nacks. Harry wasn't paying attention, though. He was thinking about more important things. He was worried how Dumbledore would respond to the knowledge that Remus killed the snake with a basilisk fang— knowledge he was sure to gain. He was worried about Voldemort realizing that the horcruxes were being targeted.

"Minerva, fetch Sirius." McGonagall hurried out of the room and Dumbledore continued to Harry, "I would have thought he would be the first person you asked for." He knew that asking for Sirius at the drop of a pin the year before would stay with him forever.

Harry just shrugged and went back to his thoughts.

He was worried about the last horcrux left (besides him, of course). Everything was suddenly happening so quickly. He had been dawdling for years now, and suddenly everything was upon him. He needed to get to the Cup while it was still where he expected it to be. Dumbledore was really the least of Harry's worries.

"Dumbledore!" Everard was back.

"What news?"

"I yelled until someone came running… said I'd heard something moving downstairs - they weren't sure whether to believe me but went down to check— you know there are no portraits down there to watch from. Anyway, they carried him up a few minutes later. He doesn't look good, he's covered in blood. I ran along to Elfrida Cragg's portrait to get a good view as they left—"

"Good. I take it Dilys will have seen him arrive, then."

And moments later, the silver-ringleted witch had reappeared in her picture, too; she sank, coughing, into her armchair and said, "Yes, they've taken him to St. Mungo's, Dumbledore… they carried him past my portrait… he looks bad…"

"Thank you."

Harry let out a sigh of relief. Remus would be all right.

Well, he hoped.

The door opened, and Sirius ran in and asked, "What happened?"

"Remus was bit by a snake," Harry explained quickly.

Sirius paled. He stared at Dumbledore for a moment before saying, "We're leaving."

"Don't be rash," the Headmaster said. "You would be better off staying here until Christmas holidays begin. It's only a couple of days."

He stared. "My best friend is in St. Mungo's, possibly dying… and you're telling me not to be rash?"

"Listen to him, Sirius," Harry said. "You can go visit him after classes, and it's just a couple of days." He tried to give Sirius a look that said '_And you don't want to be on Umbridge's bad side any more than you already are for leaving classes for a werewolf or anything like that'_, but he doubted that Sirius received a message that specific from his facial expression. He then gave a look that was meant to say '_Not to mention that we shouldn't know that Remus is in the hospital. We have no excuse to leave._'

He looked to Harry and nodded, obviously understanding something about the look on his face. He then looked to Dumbledore and said, "Harry is excused from classes." It wasn't an order, but a statement of fact. "If _she_ asks, make up some excuse. He'll be staying the next couple of days in my rooms."

Dumbledore nodded.

"As soon as the last class is over, we're both out of here. We'll floo. It's not suspicious if we do then. Get it?"

* * *

The two spent the entire night sitting in Sirius's comfy armchairs, curled up with hot chocolate and worried sick. The three had developed a family over the past two and a half years, and they couldn't sleep knowing that Remus was probably hovering between life and death.

The two barely realized that morning had come when an owl tapped on the window carrying a letter.

_Mr. Sirius Black,_

_As we assume you are aware, Mr. Remus Lupin lists you as his emergency contact in his medical files. We regret to inform you that Mr. Remus Lupin was admitted to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries late early this morning with a severe snake bite. Since he has been admitted, he has been stabilized. However, it is requested for you to come to speak with his Healers at your earliest convenience. _

_Sincerely, _

_Jennifer Blishwick,_

_St. Mungo's Admissions Department._

After reading the contents of the letter to Harry, Sirius concluded, "I have an excuse to go down there today, at least. Do you think they'd let you come too?"

"I don't think so. Tell Dumbledore where you're going and that you have that letter, though. We don't want him unknowingly feeding an excuse to Umbridge that she'll figure out is a lie."

Because he had no excuse to feed Umbridge that she would accept to do otherwise, Harry took the train home with the rest of the students. Sirius had left the day he received the letter, but Harry did not have the luxury of a legal connection to Remus Lupin. As far as Umbridge was concerned, Remus Lupin was nothing to Harry except his guardian's friend who was also a werewolf.

As far as Harry was concerned, Remus Lupin was just as much his family as Sirius.

* * *

The Dream Team had claimed their usual compartment as quickly as they could. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Luna all sat in complete silence. Through most of the ride, Harry focused his eyes out the window and would clench his teeth whenever a passing cheerful voice would drift into their compartment. Occasionally, Hermione, who was sitting next to him, would pat his shoulder comfortingly. Nobody dared to speak.

Nobody knew how long they sat there, but eventually Ron broke the silence. "I can't stand this anymore," he said.

Hermione shot Ron an annoyed look. "Don't listen to him, Harry. He's just being… well… Everything is going to be alright. Remus will be fine. He's stable, remember?"

Harry tore his eyes from the familiar scenery to look at her. He gave a weak smile. "He's right. I shouldn't… I… you're right." He glanced back out the window. Remus was going to be fine. He would recover. He had destroyed a horcrux, and he understood the risks. They retrieved him in time to save him.

Most importantly, their chance to get the Cup was approaching quickly. He and Draco had developed a plan. They had developed a plan that could not go wrong. They were so close to the finale that, when he would stop to think about it, he could almost taste the upcoming victory.

It tasted like cool mint.

The door slid open to reveal Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy. The former was red-faced with puffy eyes and tears running down her cheeks and the latter had a very subtle worried expression that Harry would have missed had he not known Malfoy so well. "I found a couple fourth-year Slytherins picking on her," he announced.

Big-brother instincts taking over, Ron immediately stood up and pulled his sister away from Malfoy, sneering at the Slytherin the entire way. He escorted his sister to an empty space. He sat next to her and Harry jumped over and sat on the other side of her. He patted her back carefully, and looked over to Malfoy questioningly.

He took one more glance at Ginny before standing up and forcefully pulling his ally from the compartment. He closed the door behind him before demanding. "What, exactly, happened?" Ginny was a strong girl. He couldn't believe that bullies could drive her to tears. The Ginny he knew would just hex them.

"It was Flora and Hestia Carrow," he replied.

Harry blinked. "Who?"

"Flora and Hestia Carrow," he repeated. "They're twins. They're Amycus Carrow's daughters."

"I didn't know he—"

Quickly, Malfoy cut him off. "Do _not_ ask. Ever. They can be really cruel, though… as cruel as their parents. I've noticed them targeting Weaslette lately for some reason. They had her wand and knew just the right buttons to poke, so-to-speak." He sighed. "I know exactly what you're thinking."

Harry scowled. "Damn right you are," he said. "I've never known Ginny to stand for that! I— I— I don't know what to say."

"Just keep an eye out for your girlfriend, Potter, and I'll do the same." He checked the hall and when he was sure it was clear enough, he whispered, "Something is not right here and I don't know what. Amycus and Atticus might have put the girls up to something, but we can't be sure. It could have been something— somebody— bigger."

"Got it," Harry whispered back. "But why?"

"Draco?" a girl suddenly called down the hallway.

He turned to look at Tracey Davis. "I'm coming!" He said his goodbye to Harry quickly and rushed over to her. "Missed me?"

"You wish," she said.

Harry entered his compartment. Ginny was huddled by herself in the corner and Harry wondered what the two girls could have said to her. He sat next to her and reached over. She looked up to him and then slipped her feet off the seat and her arms moved from their position around her knees to around Harry's shoulders. She pressed her face against him and he could feel her body shaking as she tried not to cry.

Ron scowled; Hermione smiled; Luna politely looked away.

* * *

Harry hated hospitals.

With a passion.

As he and Sirius walked the halls of St. Mungo's to the Dai Llewellyn Ward, he couldn't help but feel nothing except complete contempt for the building. He had absolutely zero happy hospital memories. It was all a blur of pain and loneliness, even when he was surrounded by people. The atmosphere of sickness and death made him nervous and nauseous.

There were two things that prevented Harry from believing that Remus was close to death, and two things only. One was his outstanding knowledge that Remus was stable. The second was his cheerful face as he chatted with the sober-looking man lying in the bed across from him.

"— you see, the potion helps you— oh! Hello Harry!" Remus waved to him with his good arm. "This is Felix Mallory. He was bit by a werewolf."

Harry winced. "That's terrible."

"I was just telling him about how much easier the Wolfsbane Potion makes it." He turned to Felix. "It really does." Pointedly, Felix looked away from them. Remus sighed. "I mean it," he said.

Harry took a seat at the end of Remus' bed and Sirius in the chair beside it. They sat in silence, none of the three knowing what to say.

Eventually, Remus broke the silence. "It's two weeks until the full moon."

"Will you still be here?"

"I'm not sure. The Healers are worried that the transformation will reopen the wound, so they'll probably want me here even if I get released before…"

"How's the wound?"

"It won't close. They might try a muggle solution… stiches." Sirius looked on, mildly interested. "They're exactly what they sound like. They'll try to sew the wound shut."

"Is that safe?"

"Muggles do it all the time. It's perfectly safe and works well enough when done properly by a doctor. I'm not really sure if the Healers have any experience and if they aren't done right they're… well, ineffective."

Suddenly, Harry said, "It won't work." His voice had a matter-of-fact tone and his expression was unchanged. "I can't remember what will, though."

Sirius placed his hand on Remus's shoulder and smiled comfortingly. "Something will work," he said. "Harry would have told us if this was the end."

"I promise you'll be all right, Moony."

"That's not the only problem, though. They want to know why I was down there."

"Mr. Weasley got out of it _last time_—"

"This isn't _last time_!" Remus interrupted. "This is this time, and I'm not Arthur Weasley. He's, at least, an employee at the Ministry!" Weakly, he added, "And he's not a werewolf."

"We'll get through this, Moony," Sirius said.

Harry nodded. "We promise."


	35. Warp 1, Year 5, Part 6

Something every one of you should probably check out on youtube sometime (if you haven't already): Starship. It's a musical by the people who made A Very Potter Musical. It was just released and it's totally awesome!

On the subject of things to check out, if you haven't checked out my one-shot "_Almost Should've_" yet, I implore you to do so. I wouldn't call it my best work, but I'm quite happy with it.

**Finally, I got a very good question last chapter:** _If silver is the only thing that can kill werewolves, why was Remus having such a hard time with the snake?_

Simply put, Remus is killed in Deathly Hallows and I doubt that any Death Eaters were carrying around silver and it's a precious metal so I doubt it can be made with magic. It was most likely death by AK. This leads me to believe that he's as vulnerable (maybe a bit less vulnerable) as humans except on the full moon. Also, keep in mind that it did not kill him. Remus has been proven to be able to receive injuries as any human.

I think that's my record for longest Author's Note. Wow. Did anybody actually read all that? Ha. Ha ha.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And—_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- "That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time." Little did they know…_

* * *

**Book 5, Chapter 23: Christmas on the Closed Ward.**

**Warp 1, Year 5 (part 6), Chapter 34: Fates Falling to Pieces**

* * *

Grimmauld Place was very empty over Christmas. The Weasley family was spending the holidays at their home and Hermione was skiing with her parents, not to mention that Remus was in the hospital. Occasionally, an Order member or two would pass through, but Grimmauld Place was much like it was before it turned into Order Headquarters— empty and lonely. Only two permanent residents walked the halls that Christmas and they were both content with that; they spend Christmas Day with Remus in the hospital.

The first thing that Remus said when they entered the room was, "Someone from the Ministry _visited _today."

"Seriously?"

"No, not Sirius-ly," Sirius mumbled. In response, he received an angry glare and a stomp on the foot.

Lupin rolled his eyes. "Yes."

"And?"

"Do you want the bad news or the worse news?"

Harry winced. "Just start at the beginning."

"The beginning? They plan to arrest me."

Harry swore.

"Isn't Dumbledore going to cover for you?" Sirius asked.

Remus sighed and pressed his hands against his head. "That's the worse news. He tried to speak with the Ministry officials… and with the new dark creature laws… he can't. How could he?"

"This is bad," said Sirius.

Harry gave him a dry look. "No duh."

Across the room, Felix the werewolf snorted. "And here this guy is trying to tell me how being a werewolf isn't as bad as it's been made out to be!" He scoffed. "What were you doing, anyways, Remus?"

Remus diverted his eyes from the other werewolf and looked down into his lap. He stayed silent for a moment, and then said, "Instead of focusing on me, they should be trying to explain the snake."

"I can see the headline now," Harry replied. "_Werewolf tries to break into Department of Mysteries with snake and gets bit_." He made a wide, _duh_ gesture with his arms. "I think we're better off with the snake being ignored. As it is, they're keeping it quiet."

With a serious note that he didn't think Sirius was capable of, the ex-convict added, "Imagine how much worse a situation you would be in if they didn't keep it quiet."

"So, Harry, how are you going to get me out of this?"

"What."

Remus was staring at him with an expectant expression that was mixed with clear anger. "I'll probably be in Azkaban for this!" he yelled. "Azkaban! Because you couldn't let things be!"

"Remus! Moony! Seriously?"

Sirius patted Harry on the back and whispered in his ear, "I think it's time you leave. Go get some tea."

He looked to the floor and gave a slight nod. For once since he'd told Sirius about time-travelling, he felt completely alone. He knew he deserved it, too.

He left Sirius and Remus alone.

Lost in thought, he climbed the stairs, headed for the top floor. The more he thought about it, the more he knew that there was no way to get Remus out of the situation, short of breaking him out of the hospital during the night under the invisibility cloak. He didn't even know if that was possible. As soon as Remus was healed, he was sure they would move him to the Ministry holding cells until his trial; Harry couldn't break him out before he healed!

Harry was snapped out of his thoughts by running into something— or, should he say, someone.

"Hello, boy, how are you doing on this fine day?"

"Barty Crouch?"

"That would be me... I think so, anyways. I'm looking for Dumbledore. Have you seen him?" he asked cheerfully.

Harry stared. He had forgotten that Barty Crouch Senior was _alive_!

"Well, boy? Have you?"

"Er… Mr. Crouch… do you know who I am?"

"Should I?" he asked. "I can't remember much of anything lately. Why, just yesterday I—"

Something clicked in Harry's head and the scene he was in finally made sense. Crouch was acting out of his character because he had lost it! "What ward are you supposed to be in, sir?"

"Ward? Whatever do you mean?"

Crouch was no longer Crouch. His son's curse lost him his mind.

Faintly, he remembered the Longbottoms, who had also lost their mind to unforgivable curses cast by Junior.

_A fate worse than death._ Who was it, again, who called it that?

Was it really?

Should he have…?

"Well, have you seen Dumbledore?"

Putting on his best smile, he said, "I think he was on the fifth floor." If he remembered correctly, the fifth floor was spell damage. That was where Crouch belonged.

He probably resided in the permanent residents' rooms.

Alone.

He had no friends, his family was dead, and his mind was clearly stuck on the mission he had last time Harry saw him.

But last time Harry saw him, he couldn't even piece a sentence together properly. Maybe he was getting better…

He hoped that the poor, poor man was getting better.

When they reached the fifth floor a healer immediately spotted them. "Mr. Crouch! There you are! Thanks, lad. We've been looking all over the place for him. He may look and sound like a normal person at first glance, but he is not yet fit to be back into society. We aren't sure if he ever will be."

At this, the guilt really struck him.

_A fate worse than death_.

The healer led Crouch away. To their backs, Harry could only whisper, "sorry," too quiet for anybody else to hear. He was unable to think; the same phrase kept repeating over and over in his head, accusing him.

Remus.

Crouch.

_A fate worse than death_.

"Harry?"

He turned.

It was Neville.

"Hey," he said weakly.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

Harry shrugged. "I was visiting Remus and I ran into Crouch on my way for tea." He paused. "Would you like to come to tea with me?"

"Gran and I were just on our way out, actually." He hadn't noticed before; Augusta Longbottom was standing with Neville.

"Would you like to come see Remus?" he offered.

"Yes, if you would lead the way," said Augusta.

So he did. The three walked down the stairs in complete silence, all lost in their own thoughts. Harry didn't know what they were thinking about, but his best guess was that Neville was thinking about how close Harry was to discovering his parents (should he know about Neville's parents?) and his Gran was thinking about Order business.

They reached the room and entered it. Inside, Sirius was sitting on the visitor chair next to Remus's bed where Harry left him and Remus was still in his bed. The two were conversing in hushed tones; the minute that they noticed their three guests, they immediately stopped. They each looked to him with an unreadable, unpleasant expression. Harry was hit by another wave of guilt.

"Guys, Mrs. Longbottom and Neville are here," he said.

The tension broke. "Thank you, Captain Obvious."

"You're very welcome, Lieutenant Sarcasm."

"I was being serious."

"You're always Sirius."

"Got me there."

"You're getting predictable."

"You've always been predictable."

"It's not very punny anymore."

"It will always be punny, my dear little Harry one."

"Is that another attempt at a pun?"

"Depends. Is it funny?"

"No."

"Then it was a complete coincidence that it could have been taken as a pun."

"That's what you say."

"I'll have you know my word is law!"

"And I'm an alien from outer space."

"Now who's being sarcastic? Huh?"

"I was being serious."

"You… I... but… I see what you did there."

"Does that mean I win?"

"Yes, you do. Now, Harry, there is a time where the student surpasses their master. I have nothing more—"

Augusta Longbottom interrupted. "Can you be serious?"

Sirius smiled. "Didn't we just go over this—"

"Don't get them started again!" Remus interrupted. "That joke lost its hilarity decades ago."

"Remus, I have something important I wish to discuss with you." Harry could almost hear the rest of the sentence: _while I still can_. "Boys," she looked to Harry and Neville, "why don't you go upstairs and get some tea like Harry suggested."

They exited the room, but Harry came prepared. He had always made sure to be prepared. Whipping out an Extendable Ear, he winked at Neville.

"Does this mean that Albus' suspicions are true?" Augusta was saying.

"I'm afraid so," replied Remus. "There is no other explanation." From his tone of voice, he could only imagine that his friend was revealing something that he did not want to reveal. What was Remus talking about?

"Surely there must be something. Surely you don't mean—"

Sirius spoke next. "There must be something," he said. "Whether it came from last year or from fourteen years ago, there's something there. We wish there wasn't, but somehow he was right all along."

Was Sirius keeping something from him? Were they both?

"How did he guess?"

Sirius let out a sigh. "We don't know."

* * *

Harry was sitting in the kitchen when Sirius delivered the news.

"What?"

"It wasn't my idea!"

"Couldn't you have said something?"

"Said what? _Professorhead, my godson cannot take lessons in Occlumency because he is, unfortunately, a secret time-traveller and it really isn't a good idea to let Snape into his head!_ Why don't you already know it?"

"Because Snape is a terrible teacher and he practically mind-raped me!"

"He must've used it on you at least once already! How did you defend against that?"

"I can only defend myself against passive Legilimency! You know, when he reads surface thoughts? I taught myself that in my few years as an Auror, just in case. That's easy stuff, though. You notice it and you think about anything but what you need to hide. Snape will be going all out, attacking my mind. I can't defend myself against that."

"You confirmed Dumbledore's suspicions, Harry, and now you have to face the consequences."

"What suspicions, though? I've been so careful to keep anything that might give him clues away from him."

"Why, anyways?"

Harry sighed. Maybe it was a bit of a bitter revenge for Dumbledore not telling him anything he needed to know. His fifth, sixth, and seventh years were all dedicated to Harry learning things he should have been told when he was eleven. But that wasn't all it was. "He doesn't need to know. I can handle it myself." Dumbledore, if he knew what he should know, would get in the way of Harry's plans. "This is what you were talking about with Neville's Gran, wasn't it?"

"So what if it was?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" The accusation was harsher than Harry meant for it to sound.

Sirius balked. "I guess I didn't think it was important. I… I'm sorry."

Harry sighed. "I'm sorry, too…"

"Snape's coming by tomorrow to tell you."

"I need an excuse not to!"

"Can't you just not show up to any of his lessons?"

"Because that's not obvious at all! Seriously, Sirius. This should've been Dumbledore's first clue, anyways! I haven't even told Hermione or Ron or Neville or Luna about the things that clued him into the connection last time!"

"Did it ever occur to you that Dumbledore is an old genius who doesn't need those clues and has other reasons to believe you have a connection to Voldemort?"

"If he pulled this solution out his ass— which is the only thing that I think he could have possibly done as far as I know—_ I_ will murder him on the Astronomy Tower next year." Harry regretted the words the minute they came out of his mouth. He remembered that night vividly and it was a terrible thing for him to say. His teeth clenched and Sirius did not respond. He was silent for a moment. Then, he said, "I didn't mean that."

"I know you didn't," Sirius replied.

Harry placed his face in his hands and let out a long sigh. "This is terrible," he concluded. "I have no idea how I can get out of this one."

Sirius took a seat across from him. "Maybe you shouldn't," he said. Harry raised his eyebrow. "It would probably be a good skill to learn."

"There's no probably about that, Padfoot. It's a skill I should know. It's a skill that I need. It's just… learning it— especially from Snape— is not a good idea."

"Write Draco."

Harry stared at his godfather. "Why… you… you call him by his first name?"

He shrugged. "You two have gone through so much together, I'm really surprised you're still on last name basis."

"Sirius?"

"Yes?"

"Can we please focus on the problem at hand?" he asked as nicely as he possibly could. He could not help but yell when he continued, "Namely, Snape probing around my future head!"

"I thought we both agreed we have absolutely no idea what to do about that?"

Harry banged his head against the table. "Wonderful," he said. "Just bloody wonderful."

Sirius awkwardly patted his shoulder. "There, there."

* * *

_Potter,_

_Seriously? _

_Really?_

_You have a week to teach yourself Occlumency. If you fail, I will personally see to your death._

_Have fun,_

_Draco Malfoy_

When Harry finished reading the letter, Sirius began to snicker. "Yeah," he said. "Great solution."

The time-traveller just stared at him with an expression mixed with shock and annoyance. He considered telling his godfather off, but instead he simply said, "Get me books on Occlumency. Now."

As he exited the room, he heard Sirius mumble, "This will be interesting to see."

He stalked out of the kitchen and down the hallway. He stomped up the stairs and turned into the drawing room. Slowly, his eyes scanned the bookshelves, searching the cluttered bookshelves for something that could teach him anything about Occlumency. The bookshelves in the drawing room were the only things that Sirius refused to sort during the summer between his third and fourth year. Even Mrs. Black's room had been cleaned, emptied, and repainted, but they had not touched the books. Sirius told him some were worse than books from the Restricted Section and he didn't want to risk anything.

They had planned on clearing out the books before they sold the house, but their plans for selling the old Black family home and moving somewhere nice had been completely derailed.

Just as he was tentatively reaching for a book with a promising title, Sirius burst into the room with yet another letter.

"Harry, we have a problem," he announced.

"What is it now?"

Sirius simply passed him the letter.

"_They're moving him to the Ministry tonight_," he read. Nothing else was written on the parchment. "Who's it from?"

Sirius shrugged. "They didn't sign it," he said.

Harry rolled his eyes. "No. Really?" He stared at the lettering carefully. He examined the letter, searching his memories for one of handwriting like he was looking at. It was familiar; there was no doubt about that.

But whose was it?

"As important as knowing who sent that letter is… I think we should figure out what we're going to do."

Harry sighed. Sirius had a point. "Do you think he'll get off?"

He bit his lip. "I can't be sure," he replied.

"He's a werewolf."

"If he doesn't… they'll Kiss him. Maybe kill him if he's lucky."

"Our only chance to break him out is when he's still in St. Mungos."

They had to save him.

So, they sprang into action.

Still, the words echoed in his head and he tried desperately to remember who had once described the Kiss in the same such way as Frank and Alice Longbottom had been referred to.

_A fate worse than death._


	36. Warp 1, Year 5, Part 7

Sorry it took so long, but here it is: Chapter thirty-five, in which Harry drives Snape nearly to murder. My only excuse was that I was beginning to get behind on my schoolwork, but I have since recovered (mostly). Most of it was simply procrastination, though.

It's near the end of the semester, so don't expect an update until summer starts. Then, I promise I will at least get back onto regular schedule… and I plan to try to update twice a week for (at least) July and (hopefully) August. I can't wait to end Warp One and move onto Warp Two.

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And—_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- "That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time." Little did they know…_

* * *

**Book 5, Chapter 24: Occlumency;**

**Warp 1, Year 5 (part 7), Chapter 35: The Cookie Crumbles**

* * *

Remus Lupin was not allowed visitors that day.

So, hidden under the cloak, Harry crept into the ward. Remus lay comfortably on his bed, chatting casually with the werewolf in the bed across from him when the time traveller entered. Despite Remus's light tone with his new friend, stress was written all over his face.

Harry approached his friend carefully and as soon as he was close enough to be heard he hissed, "Moony!"

Moony jumped and stared in his direction.

"What's wrong?" asked Felix.

"I just thought…" He closed his eyes and pressed his hands against his forehead. "Never mind. It was nothing."

Harry approached Remus and poked him. He recoiled, but before he could make a noise Harry whispered, "Hush, it's me. Meet me in the bathroom."

As he crept over to the bathroom door, Remus said to the other werewolf, "I… er… have to go… nature calls. Sorry." He carefully lifted himself off the bed and began to carefully walk towards the bathroom door.

Felix snorted. "Go. Your rescue awaits you."

Remus flashed him a friendly smile. "Whatever you say," he replied. When he approached the door it automatically opened for him and Harry slipped inside with him. The door closed and Harry immediately ripped off the Invisibility Cloak.

Harry tore the cloak off and tossed it to him. "I think my plan is kind of self-explanatory."

He received a dry look. "It's good to know you put so much thought into this."

In truth, Harry had not had the time to put much thought into the plan. He did not have time to put much thought into planning the escape. Simplicity was his specialty; Ron had been the chess master.

For the first time in a long time, Harry truly missed his old friends. This Ron did not have the same capabilities the Ron he knew had. His Ron could have planned an elaborate and foolproof plan, but this Ron did not have the experience his Ron had. He missed his Ron; the one that he had grown up with— really grown up, that is— and the one that he made mistakes beside.

Harry shook the thought out of his head. He was digressing. Something much more important was at hand.

Remus draped the cloak over his body and Harry watched him disappear. He pressed his ear against the door, listening, and the whispered, "I need under there too, you know!"

Hidden from sight, they waited beside the bathroom door. Somebody had to noticed that the patient being convicted of… well, Harry did not know what exactly they were convicting the werewolf of, but that did not change anything.

It took a half-hour for a Healer to unlock the door and check on Remus. The man walked inside the room and glanced around while Remus and Harry slipped through the swinging door. They placed themselves at the next door and waited.

The same Healer rushed out of the bathroom and then swung the door to exit the ward open, running out of it. Again, Harry and Remus slipped through the door before it closed and, applying the strategy to the exit, they rushed out of hospital.

* * *

Siting on the couch in the living room of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, his face in his hands, Remus groaned loudly.

"I said I'm sorry!" said Harry.

Remus sighed. "Yes, I know." He clenched his teeth. "That doesn't change that I'm now a wanted fugitive."

"I'm really sorry."

"I know you are," he replied. "I forgive you."

Sirius, who was sitting next to Remus, patted his shoulder. "Being on the run isn't that bad," he said with a smile. "I'll find things to keep you occupied."

"Speaking of things to do," Harry said, "I need all the help I can get with Occlumency research."

* * *

By the time the new semester started, Harry still had not learned much about Occlumency; although, in his opinion, he learned everything he possibly could. To master Occlumency, one needed to go about it the exact way Harry remembered Snape trying to go about it. A very obscure art, Occlumency had no shortcuts and no easy way. He had to go about it the hard way to make any progress.

He wished Snape had given him book titles to research the subject last time, because he was always under the impression _Snape_ was doing something wrong. The books explained why one should clear their mind before sleeping and Harry quickly realized he would have succeeded had he listened to Snape's orders. Well, he would have at least failed less. The books explained how clearing one's mind before sleep— the time when the mind is at its most vulnerable— builds stamina that can be latter applied to throwing people out of one's mind.

If Harry had just listened to his instructor, he would not be in the situation he now found himself.

Harry remembered Snape's office vividly, and it had not changed. He had not expected it to. The room was as spooky as ever.

"Well, Potter, you know why you are here," Snape said. "The Headmaster has asked me to teach you Occlumency. I can only hope that you prove more adept at it than at Potions."

Harry smiled nervously. "Well, sir, I did some research on the subject after Professor Lupin," he cleared his throat, "disappeared from custody. It looks like I'll be hopeless at it. You should throw me out now."

Snape rolled his eyes. "Just because you refuse to put work into anything does not mean I am not responsible for attempting to teach you." He narrowed his eyes. ""This may not be an ordinary class, Potter, but I am still your teacher and you will therefore not sass me."

"Got it," said Harry, "but it's a waste of time."

"You are to address me as _Professor_ or _sir_ at all times, Potter."

"Yep," said Harry. At Snape's murderous glare, he added, "Sir," with as much sarcasm as he could muster. Under normal circumstances, he hated antagonizing Snape, but he made an exception for Occlumency lessons for a reason.

Snape continued to survey him through narrowed eyes for a moment, then said, "Now, Occlumency. As I'm sure your dear godfather's told you, this branch of magic seals the mind against magical intrusion and influence."

"I'm really bad at mental things," Harry replied. "Let's not… and say we did."

"The Dark Lord is highly skilled at Legilimency, Potter. You don't believe you'll be able to survive without Occlumency, do you?"

Harry winced. He had done it before and he could do it again, but Snape still made a good argument. "Just because he can read minds… it doesn't mean he'll win," he replied. "Why would he waste time just attacking me mentally when he could attack me physically?" He tried not to think about the incident in the Department of Mysteries during his first fifth year.

"You have no subtlety, Potter," said Snape. "You do not understand fine distinctions. It is one of the shortcomings that makes you such a lamentable potion-maker. Only muggles talk of _mind-reading_. The mind is not a book, to be opened at will and examined at leisure. Thoughts are not etched on the inside of skulls, to be perused by any invader. The mind is a complex and many-layered thing, Potter." He smirked. "Or, at least, most minds are."

"That's not the point, though," said Harry. "And, for the record, it sounds like mind-reading to me."

Snape rolled his eyes. ""It is true that those who have mastered Legilimency are able, under certain conditions, to delve into the minds of their victims and to interpret their findings correctly. The Dark Lord almost always knows when somebody is lying to him. Only those skilled at Occlumency are able to shut down those feelings and memories that contradict the lie, and so can utter falsehoods in his presence without detection."

"Yeah," Harry replied. "That's why I understand why _you_ need to know Occlumency. It's kind of a given that I don't really need to lie to Voldemort's face. If I ever find myself in a situation where I might have to, I'll probably be dead before he tries to enter my mind."

Snape almost growled at him. "You are a fool, Potter, to believe the Dark Lord will not take advantage of every chance he gets to find information on his enemies. Ideally, everybody fighting him would learn Occlumency. This is not a choice, Potter."

"It should be. I don't want you messing around in my mind!"

"What have I said about addressing me as _sir_?" Snape yelled. He scowled and took a deep breath before continuing. "It appears that the Dark Lord has been unaware of the connection between you and himself until very recently. Up until now, it seems that you have been experiencing his emotions, and sharing his thoughts, without his being any the wiser. However, the vision you had shortly before Christmas—"

"The one that saved Moony's life—"

"As well as put a price on his head for _attempting to break into the Department of Mysteries_—"

"Are you saying that I shouldn't've saved his life?" Harry accused. "At least I had a chance to save him from being executed!"

"Stop interrupting me." Snape's voice was becoming more dangerous every time Harry spoke. "You seem to have visited the snake's mind because that was where the Dark Lord was at that particular moment. He was possessing the snake at the time and so you dreamed you were inside it, too."

"And Voldemort realized I was there?"

"It seems so," said Snape coolly.

"Is this just Professor Dumbledore guessing, or—?" With those words, he remembered the talk he had with Dumbledore about his guesses. Dumbledore's guesses were notoriously good, and they usually happened to be correct.

"I told you," said Snape, rigid in his chair, his eyes slits, "to call me _sir_. And, while we're on the subject of criticizing your diction, stop calling the Dark Lord by name."

"Voldemort," said Harry, in a singsong voice. He gave a grin and sang, "Voldemort, Voldemort, oooh, Voldy, Voldy, Voldy… Voldemort!"

He narrowed his eyes dangerously and snarled; the look on Snape's face was enough to make a first year cry. "Potter," he said slowly.

Harry continued to smile. "Does that mean I can leave now?"

"No," Snape said with a sneer. "I have been instructed to teach you Occlumency, so that is what I will do."

Harry's face fell. "But Snape," he whined. "Do I really have to?"

"Cease," said Snape. "You're acting like a small child." He paused. "Ten points from Gryffindor; you are to address me as _Professor_ or as _sir_."

"Can you do that?" asked Harry.

"I am a Professor. I can take points whenever I want."

"That hardly seems fair—"

"Potter?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

Harry knew he lost the battle, and possibly, with it, the war. He not only drove Snape to hate him more than ever, he also accomplished absolutely nothing with it.

"Now," said Snape. "Occlumency."

"Yes, about that," Harry began his final, weak attempt to escape, "I don't think I'll manage anything. Let's _not_ and say we _did_. I mean, instead of doing Occlumency and calling it Remedial Potions… why don't we _actually_ do Remedial Potions…"

"No," he replied shortly.

Harry sighed. There went his last chance at keeping the time-travel secret.

Snape turned away and took out his wand. He pressed the tip against his temple and began to remove memories and place them in the Pensieve sitting on the desk. Harry desperately tried not to think about the memories Snape was likely removing, because they were the _last_ things he wanted Snape to find in his head.

"Stand up and take out your wand, Potter."

Harry did not stand up, still trying to annoy Snape into kicking him out of the lesson.

"Stand up," Snape repeated. "Stand up or I will use it on you as you are." It was not an empty threat.

Harry stood.

"You may use your wand to attempt to disarm me, or defend yourself in any other way you can think of."

Harry raised his wand. "Expelliarmus!" Snape's wand flew to the other side of the room.

"Not yet, Potter."

Harry cocked his head to the side. "Wouldn't the best way to defend myself be to stop before he could attack?"

Snape rolled his eyes, exasperated. He retrieved his wand, and before Harry could disarm him again, bellowed, "Legilimens!"

He was eight, fondly naming the spiders who shared the cupboard under the stairs with him. He was ten, hiding from Dudley's gang in the local library, too occupied staying hidden to notice the questioning onlookers. He was fourteen, fighting off Grindylows to retrieve his hostage…

_No!_ a voice inside Harry's head yelled. _Not that._

He was back in Snape's office. "I withdrew on purpose," he said. "You're not even trying." His voice was full of spite. "I have been told that you have already shown aptitude at resisting the Imperius Curse. You will find that similar powers are needed for this… brace yourself, now. Legilimens!"

He was thirteen, finding Padfoot and taking him in, calling him Snuffles. He was fourteen, meeting Sirius in Hogsmeade—

He was back in Snape's office.

"Did you mean to send a stunner at me?"

Harry blinked. "Well, not really. But it worked, didn't it?"

"Against me, it did. Nothing short of a killing curse could stop the Dark Lord. You need to fight with your mind."

He snorted. "Like that'll work. How am I supposed to do that?"

"I want you to close your eyes." Harry figured it would be futile to resist and did so. "Clear your mind. Let go of all emotion."

He tried. He really, truly tried. He could not let go of his worry any more than he could let go of his anger last time. In truth, he believed he would have had an easier time letting go of anger than the nagging fear Snape would discover his greatest secret during the lesson.

"I'll count to three, this time. One… two… three… Legilimens!"

His mother and father in the Mirror of Erised, waving at eleven-year-old Harry Potter, quickly became his mother and father along with Sirius and Lupin as seventeen-year-old Harry Potter walked to his death. _As quick and painless as falling asleep_, he heard Sirius's voice echo through the empty forest. _Stay close_.

"What," asked Snape slowly, "was that?"

Harry stared at him for a second, mouth open, knowing not what to say. He turned and dashed from the office, knocking over a desk as he passed through the Potions classroom. He sprinted out of the dungeons and did not slow his pace until he reached the seventh floor. When he did, he rushed into the rowdy Gryffindor Tower and without a word to his waiting friends, into the boys' dormitories.

He did waste any time. He pulled the Marauder's Map from inside his trunk and covered himself in the invisibility cloak. As quickly as he had entered the common room, he exited.

According to the Map, Draco Malfoy was nowhere to be found.

Harry found him in the Room of Requirement, where they decided in advanced to meet after the Occlumency lesson and discuss the results.

"How'd it go?" asked Malfoy.

The look on Harry's face told it all.

"That badly?"

He nodded, dropping himself on the couch beside Malfoy. "Why couldn't we have gone and bought a Pensieve or something?"

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "I'll admit, it would've been a good strategy if they weren't very rare, expensive objects. I doubt I could afford one, let alone you, Potter."

"Hey!"

"My father works," he explained. "The only money you have in the world to support you until you can get a job."

"Point taken," Harry admitted. "But he found the absolute worst thing he could have found!"

"You're exaggerating."

"The Battle of Hogwarts," replied Harry.

Mafloy winced. "What part?"

Looking to the ground, he whispered, "The forest."

Malfoy was silent for a moment. His eyes were wide and his jaw dropped; he stared in shock. Had a pin fell in the Room of Hidden Things at that moment, the sound would have rung in their ears for minutes after. It took minutes for Malfoy to formulate a response.

"Merlin's saggy left—"

"You're telling me."

Suddenly, Harry felt his mood lifted. His was happier than he ever remembered being in his entire life. He began to laugh, but quickly stopped and covered his mouth in horror.

"What's so funny, Potter?"

His scar began to throb and the next thing Harry knew, he lay on his back on the hard floor and Malfoy was looking down at him.

"What the hell, Potter?"

Harry took in a deep breath and tried to calm himself, but the ecstatic, triumphant feeling refused to go away. His body began to shake and he felt ill in his stomach.

"Something good's happened," he mumbled. "He's happy."

"The break out?" asked Malfoy.

"Must be."

Malfoy kicked his foot against a nearby object. From his place on the floor, Harry could not tell what the object was, but it made a very loud noise. "Could this day get _any better_?"

Angrily, Harry banged his head against the floor beneath him and swore loudly.


	37. Warp 1, Year 5, Part 8

A couple people mentioned that there were worst memories for Snape to have seen, but keep in mind that what he did see was a very private moment for Harry. To Harry, it was something he'd never want Snape to see. I believe there were worse things for him to see, and I even tried a couple different drafts of that scene with different memories… but there's so many emotions tied to the forest scene. It felt right.

I had exams for all four classes, so I'm surprised I managed to get a chapter out so quickly, because summer started today for me. Today, as in, I wrote my last exam this morning. Funny enough, I had a case of chronic earworm during every exam. The only thing passing through my head was, _"Let's do the time warp AGAIN!"_

* * *

**The Time Warp Saga**

_Harry and Draco get stuck in a paradox. Now they have to re-live their Hogwarts years. Over and over. And over. And—_

* * *

**Warp One**

_Harry Potter wakes up one morning in the body of his ten-year-old self. This time around, he declares, no way anyone's going to die! -And it's gonna be totally awesome- "That's a lot harder than you think, Potter. People shouldn't meddle with time." Little did they know…_

* * *

**Book 5, Chapter 25:The Beetle at Bay.**

**Warp 1, Year 5 (part 8), Chapter 36: Realization**

* * *

Gathered around the Gryffindor table, Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Luna were having a discussion in hushed tones. On the table, between the breakfast plates and glasses of pumpkin juice, sat a copy of the Daily Prophet. The heading of the Prophet that day had everyone in the hall talking and the Dream Team was no exception.

"This is bad," Ron whispered.

"It's horrible," Neville agreed.

"It's bad news," Hermione whispered. "What'll we do?"

"The Noble Newts aren't going to like this."

Ron, Neville, and Hermione all turned and gawked at Luna. She gave them a casual smile, twirled her scrambled egg around her spoon, and ate her meal as if nothing abnormal was happening.

"Seriously?" said Hermione, her voice dry. "You're talking about Noble Newts at a time like this."

Luna nodded cheerily.

Hermione placed her fingers against her forehead and began to breathe deeply. She did not want a Luna-induced headache so early in the day.

"I think it's perfectly appropriate," said a voice suddenly from behind them. "The Noble Newts can't survive within a mile of people like Death Eaters. They definitely won't like this breakout."

"Not you again," she groaned. "Harry, I've said it once and I'll say it again: stop encouraging her!" Luna looked mildly offended and Harry simply laughed. "How'd you know what happened, anyways?"

Harry shrugged. "Since when did I not know what's going on? It's not like anyone will be able to move five feet without hearing it mentioned today! What does the article say, anyways?" Without Sirius around to blame, he wondered how the Ministry could deny Voldemort's existence.

Hermione held up the paper for him to read the headline.

**Rouge werewolf prime suspect in mass Azkaban breakout.**

Harry groaned.

"It gets worse," said Neville.

Hermione nodded. "Not only are they using Moony as a scapegoat—"

"And putting the blame on him," added Ron, who, for once, was not speaking with his mouth full at a mealtime. Hermione ignored him.

"— they're also using it as more proof against allowing werewolves to exist!"

"This is bad," said Neville.

"It's horrible," agreed Ron.

Harry shook his head in disgust. "It's weak. They're digging their own graves."

Hermione nodded. "It is weak." She frowned. "But they've been working on the anti-werewolf propaganda for some time. Some wizards haven't an ounce of logic. It won't be hard for the Ministry to convince them it's the truth."

Harry sat beside Ron and took the newspaper from Hermione. The others gave their attention to their meals, and Harry began to flip through the pages.

"I don't see any more references to Moony," observed Harry. "Anything else interesting?"

"Page ten," said Neville weakly.

Harry flipped to page ten and immediately winced.

**Tragic demise of Ministry of Magic worker.**

He completely forgot about the Ministry of Magic worker strangled in St. Mungos. Despite being such a small detail, he remembered being horrified about it at the time and he immediately wished he did something.

He had the chance to do something and he had not remembered

A wave of nausea overtook him. The man— he could not remember his name and scanned the article for it quickly (Bode)— had been in Neville's parent's ward.

He looked to Neville and noticed for the first time his horrified face. Neville glanced over and they caught each other's eyes. His friend must have noticed his questioning gaze because he whispered across the table, "I was there."

"What?"

"The guy was in..." Neville paused and glanced around. When he was sure nobody was listening in, he continued. "He was in my parents' ward. I should have noticed. I know what Devil's Snare looks like…"

"It's not your fault," said Harry. "Who expects to find Devil's Snare disguised as a gift in a hospital at Christmas?" If anything, it was his. It happened before and Harry knew it. It slipped his mind and somebody died because of it. He pressed his face into his hands. His fault.

Neville immediately recognized the look. "It's not your fault, either!" he said. "You weren't even there."

For the life of him, Harry could not remember why the Death Eaters killed Bode. It seemed such an unimportant thing when responsibilities began to pile up and he forgot the incident ever happened. Somewhere in his brain, the memory of the day they first read about the Azkaban breakout merged with everything that happened fifth year and, though he knew there was something important he was forgetting, he could not remember it.

He watched the man smiling at him from the picture and tried to place him in his memory, but he could only remember the image of the sickly man in the hospital bed.

He knew he saw the Bode before, but he could not remember how important Bode was.

Whether the man was important or not, he was a life lost to Harry's carelessness and that made all the difference in the world.

"Don't look now," whispered Neville, jolting Harry from his thoughts, "but Snape is coming this way."

Harry winced. "You're kidding, right?"

"I never kid about Professor Snape."

Against his better judgment, Harry looked. Snape's determined expression held steady and his cold, black eyes locked onto Harry's nervous, emerald eyes. Quickly, Harry looked away. "I have to go," he said to his friends.

"You've barely touched your breakfast," said Hermione. "Either you're finally taking _SPEW_ seriously—"

"Not ever going to happen," Ron whispered to Neville.

"— or something's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong, Hermione," he insisted. "I just don't want to be here. In this seat. In this room. At this moment."

She raised her eyebrows. "Right?"

Harry gave her a weak smile and a shrug and stood up. Turning around to make his exit, he found himself face to face with the one person he did not want to see.

"Potter," said Snape, "your detention will be served with me after dinner tonight, in my office."

"What detention?" If he remembered correctly— and he was sure he did— Snape did not give him a detention. "What for?"

"The one you are being given now for mouthing off yesterday." Snape paused. He grabbed Harry's shoulder and roughly pulled him aside. "What _was _that?" he hissed.

"What was what?" Harry replied.

Snape narrowed his eyes. "You know very well what I'm talking about, Potter—"

A loud crashing noise cut off the accusation. Both Harry and Snape broke eye contact and stared at the source of the noise. Ginny Weasley lay sprawled across the floor, covered in somebody's breakfast. Above her stood a pair of Slytherin twins Harry assumed were Flora and Hestia Carrow, holding plates with only crumbs.

"Awe," mocked one of the girls, "is the little blood traitor going to cry now?"

The girls seemed unaware the entire Great Hall had gone silent and every person in it had stopped what they had been doing to watch the scene unfold.

Ginny's eyes welled up with tears and the other girl laughed. "Oh, look, she is going to cry!"

"I'm not surprised," replied the first twin.

The other twin nodded. "Frankly, neither am I. Weasley, you're such a bore."

Harry watched Ginny carefully. He expected her to stand up and hex them into the next week, but she did not. The broken girl on the floor simply looked away and bit her lip. Her hair fell in front of her face and the tiny redhead seemed to be using it as a shield from her tormenters.

Harry was the one who finally stepped in. "If she's such a bore, why don't you just leave her alone?" he yelled across the hall to them.

At that moment, Flora and Hestia finally realized they had an audience. Likewise, the spell of shock that overcame the audience finally broke and at one, three different teachers yelled, "Detention," and four more took various amounts of points from Slytherin house.

All other members of the Weasley family— Fred, George, and Ron— jumped to their sister's side and pointed their wands to the two girls. The girls drew their wands, but the second they did, the wands flew out of their hands. Harry glanced back at Snape, beside him. The two girls' Head of House had his wand drawn and pointed at them.

"Miss Carrow and Miss Carrow." He addressed them in a menacing voice that he only reserved for the most annoying of students. "My office. Now."

"Yes, Professor Snape," they said together. The twins trailed after him out of the hall and into the dungeons.

Fred and George sat Ginny down at the table beside the Dream Team. Luna immediately picked up a napkin and began to wipe the pieces of egg from her face. "Did they drop food all over you?" she asked.

Ginny looked down and focused intently on her hands, folded in her lap. "Yes," she whispered.

"That's horrible," said Hermione.

"It's nothing new," said Ginny.

"When did it start happening?" asked Harry, still standing in the walkway between tables, over Ginny's shoulder.

Ginny turned to him. Her broken face struck a nerve and he grasped her shoulder but she moved away. "A while ago," she said.

"You're stronger than this," he told her. "You're better than them."

Quietly, she replied, "I know." She sighed. "I've never done anything to them. I don't know why—"

"Miss Weasley?" Professor McGonagall interrupted from behind Harry. "Come to my office."

Ginny followed McGonagall out of the Great Hall and, for a moment, it felt like the issue was resolved.

Harry refused to be optimistic. He needed to keep an eye on this development.

* * *

Harry found that avoiding Snape the rest of the day was as easy as the rest of the Dream Team found worming an explanation for Hagrid's brutal injuries from the half-giant. That is to say, neither of the pursuits progressed very well.

Every corner Harry turned, Snape waited impatiently for him. He considered skipping the entire day and spending it in the Gryffindor dorms, but he would not be surprised if Snape went looking for him there if he did.

On the other hand, the mystery of Hagrid kept the attention of Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Luna; they did not notice Harry's eccentricities of the day. Harry had not realized his old friend still sported the large gashes in his face from Grawp until he noticed his friends obsessing over it. He never noticed he barely paid any attention to Hagrid anymore. The Dream Team, on the other hand, paid much attention to Hagrid and set their sights on discovering his secret.

By lunchtime, Harry was exhausted. He shuffled to the Great Hall, lagging behind the rest of the Dream Team and let out a sigh. Suddenly, he felt something grab his shoulder and that something dragged him into the secret passageway he was passing.

For a moment, he thought Snape finally corner him. He turned to his kidnapper, ready to throw a fit of hysterics, and despite the dark, knew immediately who found him.

"Malfoy."

"Potter."

The two stared at each other for a moment, neither knowing exactly how to start their conversation.

Malfoy spoke first. "We need to break into Gringotts as soon as possible."

Harry pressed his hand to his face and sighed. "Any ideas on how we might accomplish that?"

He shrugged. "You're the one who decided to change everything," he said, his voice unexpectedly _not _accusing and more passive than he ever remembered Malfoy speaking before on the subject. "You should figure it out," he sneered, friendly demeanor broken.

Harry gave a sarcastic-sounding laugh and glared at his ally, despite the fact his ally probably could not see it. "After how well my last plan went? Not likely. Not on my own." His mocking smile fell and he sighed again. "We don't even know if Voldemort realized somebody knew about his horcruxes."

"Wouldn't you have felt it?"

"I can't be sure."

"Either way, he likely thinks the Cup is safest of all. He doesn't yet have a reason to mistrust the Lestranges and Gringotts _is_ supposed to be impenetrable."

Harry paused. He leaned against the wall of the cramped passageway and said, "I probably would have felt it if he actually checked his horcruxes and realized they were all gone."

"That's the optimistic Harry we all know and utterly loathe!"

Harry found Malfoy in the dark and smacked his shoulder lightly. "Quit it. This is serious—"

"Actually—"

"I said," growled Harry, "this is serious!"

"Got it," said Malfoy. "Continue."

Harry rolled his eyes. "The point is, although he mightn't have checked it yet, he might've been too busy with the Azkaban breakout to bother."

"Right," said Malfoy, his tone full of doubt and Harry could picture the matching look that probably graced his face. "This is Voldemort we're talking about, Potter. Remember?"

"How could I forget?""

"Then you must remember that these things are the key to his immortality."

Harry sighed. "He's arrogant."

"True," agreed Malfoy.

"If anybody knows how Voldemort thinks, it's me. He's arrogant. I'll bet you any amount of money he thinks his horcruxes are too safe for anybody to reach. In light of the situation right now— that is, his lack of power— I'm sure getting followers was above checking on five super-protected objects he's sure are impossible to be stolen."

"But now?"

"Now? What do you think?"

"Like I said, we need to get in there as soon as possible."

Harry placed his face in his hands and pressed the tips of his fingers against his forehead. Exasperated, he allowed his knees to give out and slid to the floor. Above him, he heard Malfoy shuffling around his outstretched legs and finally sat across from him. Their eyes had adjusted to the dark the best they could, and Harry could see the outline of his ally's body as he moved around to make himself comfortable.

"We don't want our break in to be like the last _genius_ plan," Harry finally said. "I'm not a good planner. I never really realized it, but now that I think about it… this whole mess is my fault. I should've taken out Voldemort first year, rescued Sirius before he had to rescue himself, not allowed Ginny to go through that with the diary… and not fail Potions this year. Look at me, Malfoy. Twenty-five and I can't pass a fifth-year Potions class properly."

"There, there," Malfoy said, awkwardly doing his best at a comforting voice and failing. He pat the closest part of Harry's body to him— his leg— a couple times and then retreated.

"I… I… it shouldn't have turned out this way. I should've been able to do everything. You know, kick butt and take names and look cool while doing it! Now we're in this terrible mess and Voldmort might catch on to what we're doing, I'm neglecting my friends, Snape saw a very private moment that happens two year into the future, and Remus is a wanted fugitive because I can't do it right!" By the end of his small speech, Harry was yelling and crying. The only comforting thought he could think of was that Malfoy could not actually see his face in the unlighted passageway while he poured out his heart to him.

Neither spoke for a very long time. They simply sat in silence, listening to the distance sounds of the busy castle on the other side of the hidden door. They both registered the ring of the bell signaling the end of lunch but neither even flinched, let alone stand up and make their way to the next class.

Finally, Malfoy could take it no longer. "I'll do it," he said quietly.

"Eh?"

"I'll do it," he repeated, a little louder. "I'll do the planning from now on. I'm the Slytherin, here. Remember? _Those cunning folk use any means to achieve their ends_." Harry did not respond; he knew not what to say. "I'll do it," he said again.

"Then, oh great strategist, what shall I do about Snape?"

There was a pause. "I'll get back to you on that."


End file.
